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(1167)

Ep861: Colin Tai | CEO, Alcove

Ep861: Colin Tai | CEO, Alcove

Colin Tai is the co-founder and CEO of Alcove, a platform that enables shared living in any rental propert. The platform invites people in search of their new home and community to find rooms to rent and allows for homeowners to list available bedrooms in their homes.

20 Juli 202222min

Ep860: Doron Frenkel | CEO, Driivz

Ep860: Doron Frenkel | CEO, Driivz

Doron is an experienced entrepreneur with over 25 years’ international management experience in the EV charging, telecommunications and fleet industries. Prior to Driivz, Doron was co-founder and CEO of We!Secure and before that he held the position of GM of Israeli operations at Sphera. As a Director at Amdocs (NYSE:DOX), Doron led business relationships worth hundreds of millions of dollars with top customers such as Nextel and T-Mobile.

17 Juli 202221min

Ep859: Liran Hason | Co-Founder and CEO, Aporia

Ep859: Liran Hason | Co-Founder and CEO, Aporia

Liran Hason is the Co-Founder and CEO of Aporia, a full-stack ML observability platform used by Fortune 500 companies and data science teams across the world to ensure responsible AI. Prior to founding Aporia, Liran was an ML Architect at Microsoft-acquired Adallom, and later an investor at Vertex Ventures. Liran created Aporia after seeing first-hand the effects of AI without guardrails.

16 Juli 202221min

Ep858: David York | Attorney, CPA, Author and Speaker

Ep858: David York | Attorney, CPA, Author and Speaker

David R. York is an Attorney and CPA who practices law in the area of estate planning, with extensive experience in designing advanced strategies for high-net-worth clients. David has spoken to hundreds of public groups and professional organizations, including the TedXSaltLakeCity, Q Commons, the Hawaii Tax Institute, the Purposeful Planning Institute, Investments and Wealth Institute, Valmark Member Summit, Southeastern Family Office Forum, and the Million Dollar Roundtable. David has also written three books, Entrusted, Riveted, and The Gift of Lift.

15 Juli 202220min

Ep857: Aaron Bours | VP Marketing, Hyro

Ep857: Aaron Bours | VP Marketing, Hyro

Aaron is the VP Marketing at Hyro, where he has helped lead the company from pre-seed to Series A since 2019. He has over 7 years of business development, marketing and product experience, mainly within emerging technologies such as conversational AI. Prior to Hyro, Aaron helped develop and launch Duplex at Google which broke boundaries in the natural language space, and started his career at CheckPoint, helping to grow enterprise mobile security. Aaron completed a BA in Business Administration at IDC Herzliya, with a specialization in marketing, after serving in the IDF's Givati Brigade as a lone soldier. When out of the office, you’ll get his attention with hosting events, good B2B branding and the New York Knicks.

14 Juli 202221min

Ep856: Daniel Kligler | Senior Partner, Kligler & Associates Patent Attorneys

Ep856: Daniel Kligler | Senior Partner, Kligler & Associates Patent Attorneys

Daniel is the senior partner at Kligler & Associates Patent Attorneys. He has a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University, and before becoming a patent attorney he was a founder, inventor, and manager in two high-tech startups. He has a law degree and is licensed as a patent attorney in both Israel and the US. Since the founding of Kligler & Associates in 2008, clients of the firm have been acquired for a cumulative total of more than $20 billion. The firm specializes in deep tech - computers, communications, electronics, AI, and high-end medical devices - with clients ranging from start-ups, through unicorn ventures, to Fortune 500 companies.

13 Juli 202221min

Ep855: Eliron Ekstein | Co-Founder & CEO, Ravin.ai

Ep855: Eliron Ekstein | Co-Founder & CEO, Ravin.ai

Eliron has dedicated his work in the past 10 years to digitizing the automotive and transportation sectors. Before founding Ravin, Eliron was Head of New Business Development at Shell’s Digital Ventures unit in London, investing and incubating new businesses that could leverage Shell’s global footprint of retail locations for the benefit of fleets, motorists, and smart cities. Prior to that, Eliron served as the CEO of FarePilot.com, a startup using machine learning to help taxi and Uber drivers find their next passenger by predicting demand patterns in local areas. Eliron has an MBA from London Business School and is the proud father of 2 boys and one adorable girl.

12 Juli 202221min

Ep854: Eynat Guez | CEO, Papaya Global

Ep854: Eynat Guez | CEO, Papaya Global

Eynat is the CEO of Papaya Global. An entrepreneur with 15 years of experience, she is a leading expert in global payroll and global workforce management. She co-founded Papaya after seeing the technology gap in global payroll. The company combines her twin passions – technology and global HR – to start a revolution in global payroll management. Papaya’s innovative software provides a total workforce solution, allowing companies to manage all of their global people, payroll, and payments operations through a single dashboard.

11 Juli 202219min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

framgangspodden
badfluence
varvet
rss-jossan-nina
rss-borsens-finest
uppgang-och-fall
rss-svart-marknad
avanzapodden
lastbilspodden
rss-dagen-med-di
rss-kort-lang-analyspodden-fran-di
fill-or-kill
borsmorgon
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
rss-en-rik-historia
affarsvarlden
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
market-makers
tabberaset