Method for dynamically controlling the activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a telecommunications system of a railway network in order to improve cybersecurity.

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services on board railway vehicles and / or on the ground using the radio access network, in which the following steps are carried out, in a temporally iterative manner, consisting of, for each radio source: carrying out a first test (10) of the need to activate the radio resource of the radio access network for a railway service: if the result of the first test concludes that there is a need to activate the radio resource of the radio access network for the railway service, a second test (11) is carried out if the radio resource to be activated is not already activated, in which case it is activated; and if the result of the first test (10) does not conclude that there is a need to activate the radio resource, then it is deactivated. Figure for abstract: [Fig.2]

Description

Title of the invention: Method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a telecommunications system of a railway network in order to improve cybersecurity.

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services on board railway vehicles and / or on the ground using the radio access network.

[0002] A radio access network, also known as the air interface, is the radio part of a mobile telecommunications system. It uses radio access technology. Conceptually, it is located between a terminal such as a mobile phone, a computer, or any other remotely accessible machine and allows a connection with the core network.

[0003] More specifically, the present invention relates to railway on-board / ground communications. Furthermore, it also falls within the field of cyber security because it aims to increase the security of telecommunications infrastructures in the railway environment.

[0004] Current cyber security systems in the railway context are mainly oriented towards intrusion alerts and not towards corrective or preventive actions in order to reduce the attack surface of railway radio infrastructures.

[0005] For on-board rail services involving on-board / ground communications (signalling or critical voice services), it is essential that the security level of these communications is maximum.

[0006] Indeed, a computer security problem has a direct impact on railway safety.

[0007] To attack a computer system, it is generally accepted that two elements are key. The first of these two elements is the computing power available to the attacker. The higher this power, the greater the number and complexity of attack methods. These increases also depend on the second key element for an attack, which is the time available to the attacker.

[0008] Conventional (or consumer) telecommunications systems are always active to allow high availability of services to the user. These always-on systems therefore increase the time available to an attacker.

[0009] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a railway vehicle 1 on a railway network 2 whose mobile telecommunications systems 3 can be attacked at any time, according to the state of the art.

[0010] Conventional cyber security means, such as native security mechanisms of radio systems, the use of VPNs or intrusion detection systems (IDS) are necessary but are likely to be circumvented with sufficient time available to an attacker.

[0011] One aim of the invention is to improve the security of mobile telecommunications systems on a railway network.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, there is proposed a method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services on board railway vehicles and / or on the ground using the radio access network, in which the following steps are carried out, in a temporally iterative manner, consisting of, for each radio source: - carry out an initial test of the need to activate the radio resource of the radio access network for a railway service: - if the result of the first test concludes that there is a need to activate the radio access network for the rail service, a second test is carried out if the radio resource(s) of the radio access network associated with the rail service are not already activated, in which case they are activated; - if the result of the first test does not conclude that there is a need to activate the radio access network for the rail service, then the radio resource(s) of the radio access network associated with the rail service are deactivated.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first test takes into account the timetables for the circulation of railway vehicles on the railway network, and / or the real-time position of railway vehicles on the railway network.

[0014] Rail vehicles are understood to mean trains, metros, trams, or any type of vehicle running on a rail network.

[0015] According to one embodiment, a rail service comprises video unloading / recording, and / or live video viewing, and / or audio announcement, and / or rail signaling.

[0016] In one embodiment, a radio resource comprises a private high-speed radio resource, and / or a private reliable low-speed radio resource, and / or a public low-speed radio resource.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the real-time position of a railway vehicle on the railway network is estimated from a previous position and the speed average of the railway vehicle from this previous position, and / or from a position determined by means of a GNSS device.

[0018] The invention will be better understood by studying some embodiments described as non-limiting examples and illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates a railway network whose systems of mobile telecommunications are attackable at any time, depending on the state of the art;

[0020] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates an activation / deactivation control method dynamics of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a mobile telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services using the radio access network, according to one aspect of the invention;

[0021] [Fig.3], [Fig.4] and [Fig.5] schematically illustrate the operation of a method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a mobile telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services using the radio access network, of [Fig.2], according to one aspect of the invention.

[0022] Throughout the figures, elements having identical references are similar.

[0023] In [Fig.2] is schematically illustrated a method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a mobile telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services using the radio access network, according to one aspect of the invention.

[0024] The method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services on board railway vehicles and / or on the ground using the radio access network, in which the following steps are carried out, in a temporally iterative manner, consisting of, for each radio source: - carrying out a first test of the need to activate the radio resource of the radio access network for a railway service: - if the result of the first test concludes that there is a need to activate the radio resource of the radio access network for the rail service, a second test is carried out if the radio resource of the radio access network to be activated for the rail service is not already activated, in which case it is activated; and - if the result of the first test does not conclude that there is a need to activate the radio resource of the radio access network for the railway service, then it is deactivated.

[0025] This method is independent of the radio technology used, and acts on the radio communication modules to limit their activation time.

[0026] It is not possible to attack a radio system that does not transmit or receive, and it is very difficult for an attacker to influence the parameters for enabling or disabling the radio communication modules.

[0027] The proposed technical solution uses railway operational data to dynamically activate radio communication modules or resources based on train timetables, their real-time position, application needs or operating and maintenance needs.

[0028] To ensure a better level of cyber security for on-board / ground communications infrastructures, this solution takes advantage of the railway context by reducing the attack surface depending on the railway operating context.

[0029] [Fig.3], [Fig.4] and [Fig.5] schematically illustrate the operation of a method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource of a radio access network of a mobile telecommunications system of a railway network, for railway services using the radio access network, of [Fig.2], according to one aspect of the invention.

[0030] In [Fig.3], [Fig.4] and [Fig.5], a railway vehicle moves successively in four zones Zonel, Zone2, Zone3 and Zone4 of the rail network.

[0031] In [Fig.3], the radio resources of the radio access network, including radio antennas A3 and A4, are locked when no railway vehicle is expected in the Zone3 and Zone4 areas of the railway network. Since the railway vehicle is in zone 1 and will soon be in zone 2, radio antennas A1 and A2 are activated.

[0032] A cyber attack on the radio access network is not possible on the deactivated radio antennas A3 and A4 linked to the Zone3 and Zone4 areas of the railway network.

[0033] In [Fig.4], the radio resources of the radio access network, including radio antennas A1 and A4, are locked when no railway vehicle is expected in the Zonel and Zone4 areas of the railway network. Since the railway vehicle is in zone2 and will soon be in zone3, radio antenna A3 linked to zone3 is reactivated, and radio antenna A2 linked to zone2 remains activated.

[0034] A cyber attack on the radio access network is not possible on the deactivated radio antennas Al and A4 linked to the Zonel and Zone4 areas of the railway network.

[0035] In [Fig.5], the radio resources of the radio access network, including radio antennas A1 and A2, are locked when no railway vehicle is expected in the Zonel and Zone2 areas of the railway network. Since the railway vehicle is in zone3 and soon in zone4, radio antenna A3 linked to zone4 is reactivated, and radio antenna A3 linked to zone3 remains activated.

[0036] A cyber attack on the radio access network is not possible on the deactivated radio antennas Al and A2 linked to the Zonel and Zone2 areas of the railway network.

[0037] The operation of the process is thus propagated across the entire rail network and makes it possible to drastically limit the risks of cyberattacks.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for controlling the dynamic activation / deactivation of at least one radio resource (A1, A2, A3, A4) of a radio access network (3) of a telecommunications system of a railway network (2), for railway services on board railway vehicles and / or on the ground using the radio access network (3), in which the following steps are carried out, in a temporally iterative manner, consisting of, for each radio source: - carrying out a first test (10) of the need to activate the radio resource (A1, A2, A3, A4) of the radio access network (3) for a railway service: - if the result of the first test concludes that there is a need to activate the radio resource (A1, A2, A3, A4) of the radio access network (3) for the railway service, a second test (11) is carried out if the radio resource (A1, A2, A3, A4) of the radio access network (3) to be activated for the rail service is not already activated, in which case it is activated;and - if the result of the first test (10) does not conclude that there is a need to activate the radio resource (A1, A2, A3, A4) of the radio access network (3) for the railway service, then it is deactivated.;

2. Method according to claim 1, in which the first test takes into account the timetables for the circulation of railway vehicles (1) on the railway network (2), and / or the real-time position of the railway vehicles (1) on the railway network.

3. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein a railway service comprises video unloading / recording, and / or live video viewing, and / or audio announcement, and / or railway signaling.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which a radio resource (A1, A2, A3, A4) comprises a private high-speed radio resource, and / or a private reliable low-speed radio resource, and / or a public low-speed radio resource.

5. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, in which the real-time position of a railway vehicle (1) on the railway network (2) is estimated from a previous position and the average speed of the railway vehicle from this previous position, and / or from a position determined by means of a GNSS device.

Images