AI and the Cybersecurity Future of Trains: A Conversation with Cylus Co-Founder and CTO Miki Shifman

AI and the Cybersecurity Future of Trains: A Conversation with Cylus Co-Founder and CTO Miki Shifman

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping cybersecurity—not just for digital threats but also for critical physical infrastructure like railways. My conversation with Miki Shifman, Co-Founder and CTO of Cylus, underscored the urgent need to extend cybersecurity beyond traditional digital domains to protect transportation systems.


Railway Cybersecurity: A Growing Concern
Shifman, a cybersecurity expert and Israeli intelligence veteran, co-founded Cylus in 2017 to address vulnerabilities in railway systems. Historically, rail safety focused on mechanical redundancy and human oversight. But modern trains—autonomous, high-speed, and digitally connected—face unprecedented cyber risks. As Shifman put it, “The boundaries have been broken.”


Recent incidents highlight the severity. London’s railway shutdown last September exposed the economic and societal disruptions cyberattacks can cause. A similar event in New York’s subway system would ripple far beyond transportation, affecting healthcare and public safety.


Emerging Threats and AI’s Role
Railway cyber threats fall into two categories: availability threats that halt train operations and safety threats that could lead to collisions or derailments. Many railway systems lack adequate encryption and authentication, making vulnerabilities deeply embedded. AI accelerates these risks—lowering the expertise needed to execute sophisticated attacks. Tools like ChatGPT enable less-experienced hackers to gain insights into specialized rail protocols, expanding the pool of potential attackers.


Regulatory Response and AI-Powered Defense
With railways classified as critical infrastructure, regulatory bodies in the EU and U.S. are mandating stronger cybersecurity measures by 2025. However, these solutions must integrate carefully to avoid interfering with operational safety.

AI also strengthens defenses. Cylus uses AI to enhance threat detection, real-time monitoring, and anomaly detection while reducing false positives. AI boosts productivity across railway cybersecurity, from rapid prototyping to regulatory compliance automation. “AI helps turn compliance from a burden into an asset,” Shifman noted.


The Future of Railway Cybersecurity
Rail cybersecurity lags behind other critical infrastructure sectors, but AI provides an opportunity to leap forward. Organizations embracing AI-driven security will gain unprecedented protection—while those slow to adapt remain vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated threats.


When asked about AI’s future in rail security, Shifman admitted, “We’re still evolving our understanding. But ignoring AI simply isn’t an option. This technology changes the landscape weekly.” That mindset—alert, adaptable, and proactive—is exactly what the railway industry needs today.

Avsnitt(1157)

Ep53: Sean Sternbach | Co-founder of Venture Out, previously Senior PM at Amazon, Co-Founder at Gingr (acquired)

Ep53: Sean Sternbach | Co-founder of Venture Out, previously Senior PM at Amazon, Co-Founder at Gingr (acquired)

Sean is the co-founder and a Managing Director of Venture Out, a company dedicated to helping founders with big tech day jobs validate their startup idea before pursuing it full-time. Previously he was the entrepreneur in residence (EIR) for the Techstars Alexa accelerator, was Senior Product Manager at Amazon, and sold a B2B SaaS company, Gingr. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.

24 Aug 202020min

Ep55: Sheryl Chamberlain | Global Alliances | Board Director | Diversity & Inclusion | Corporate Social Responsibility

Ep55: Sheryl Chamberlain | Global Alliances | Board Director | Diversity & Inclusion | Corporate Social Responsibility

As a global technology executive, Sheryl drives businesses to success, cultivates forward strategies, and aligns business goals. She is a leader and executive who is able to revolutionize practices and change the paradigms of business. A key business asset in numerous major technology moves, strategies, and programs, Sheryl has built a reputation as an instrumental business partner and asset.

24 Aug 202020min

Ep52: Doron Ish Shalom | Previously, Partner | Head of Strategic Partnerships at fresh.fund

Ep52: Doron Ish Shalom | Previously, Partner | Head of Strategic Partnerships at fresh.fund

Doron is a partner at fresh.fund and has extensive experience in the education sector. After studying education and philosophy he became the Director of Education in the Israel Innovation Institute, where he led the Ed.il activities. He is a founding member of MassChallenge Israel and joined JVP, one of Israel’s largest VCs. Doron is passionate about changing the way we think about education.

24 Aug 202023min

Ep51: Adi Wallach | Co-Founder and CEO of CalmiGo

Ep51: Adi Wallach | Co-Founder and CEO of CalmiGo

Adi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Calmigo, an innovative calming device that uses guided breathing, grounding techniques, and relaxing scents to provide immediate relief for moments of anxiousness and stress.She has 18 years of experience in management and engineering (Elbit, Stratasys), and was recently named one of Israel’s 70 most brilliant young women by Lady Globes business journal.

24 Aug 202021min

Ep47: Gadi Ezra | Human Rights Lawyer

Ep47: Gadi Ezra | Human Rights Lawyer

Gadi holds an unparalleled perspective on war – as both a human rights and as a soldier in the Israeli Special Forces. He was selected by Forbes Magazine as one of the most influential leaders in Israel under the age of 30 (the "30 UNDER 30" list), and holds three law degrees from Tel-Aviv University and NYU School of law. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Law, and and previously advised the Defense Establishment and headed the headed the Laws of War desk at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

23 Aug 202020min

Ep48: Dovi Frances | Financial Investor, contestant on Israeli Survivor

Ep48: Dovi Frances | Financial Investor, contestant on Israeli Survivor

Dovi is an entrepreneur and Founding Partner of Group 11. He has invested over $150M in many of Silicon Valley’s most prominent and disruptive technology companies, including: SoFi, Addepar, Tipalti, TripActions, HomeLight, SunBit, Next Insurance and others. Previously, Dovi was VP at Deutsche Bank AG Private Bank and founded SG, a global financial advisory firm. He is also well known for his appearance as a “Shark” in the Israeli Shark Tank show.

23 Aug 202023min

Ep50: Pamela Becker | VP Marketing at prooV | Author | Speaker

Ep50: Pamela Becker | VP Marketing at prooV | Author | Speaker

Pamela has been a marketing executive for some of Israel’s leading tech companies including prooV, ironSource, SafeCharge and Payoneer. After she was widowed with three small children in 2008, Pamela co-founded and remains the active chairperson of the Israeli charity Jeremy's Circle, which supports kids coping with cancer treatment or cancer loss in their immediate families. She is the author of the novel Memoirs of a False Messiah.

23 Aug 202022min

Ep49: Dan Seider | Founder of Misu

Ep49: Dan Seider | Founder of Misu

Inspired by deep depression and advice from his mental health professionals, Dan taught himself to code and built one of the highest rated manual mood trackers. To help himself and others keep up the habit of mood tracking and advance the state of the art mental health technology, Dan is working on Misu — an automated mood tracker that tracks happiness and anxiety their micro facial expressions passively throughout the day.

23 Aug 202021min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

framgangspodden
badfluence
varvet
uppgang-och-fall
rss-borsens-finest
avanzapodden
svd-ledarredaktionen
affarsvarlden
fill-or-kill
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
borsmorgon
rss-dagen-med-di
dynastin
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
rss-kort-lang-analyspodden-fran-di
lastbilspodden
ett-rikare-liv
market-makers
ekonomiekot-extra
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar