Image by Aleksandr Popov, form Unsplash
Cyberattack Cripples Ukraine’s Railway Ticketing System
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Ukrzaliznytsia which operates as Ukraine’s national railway operator faced a cyberattack that paralyzed its ticketing operations, thus requiring passengers to obtain their tickets at stations.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- A cyberattack disabled Ukrzaliznytsia’s online ticketing system, forcing in-person purchases.
- Train schedules remained unaffected despite the disruption.
- Ukraine’s security services are investigating the “complex, multi-layered” attack.
The railway system suffered a website and mobile application shutdown on March 24 resulting in widespread frustration at stations throughout Ukraine as passengers faced long lines.
Ukrzaliznytsia confirmed that train schedules functioned normally despite the service disruption. “The railway continues to operate despite physical attacks on its infrastructure and cannot be stopped even by the most insidious cyberattacks,” the company declared .
The railway system faces critical concerns because of this attack because of its essential position in Ukraine.
Indeed, Ukrzaliznytsia operates as the main transportation system since the Russian invasion by moving millions of people and supporting military supply chains as well as humanitarian relief efforts. The railway functions as a vital export channel for European-bound grain shipments together with metal products, as noted by The Record .
Ukrainian security services have launched an investigation into the cyberattack but they have not revealed any information about those responsible. The company explained this incident as “systematic, complex, multi-layered” while specialists work to secure affected systems before returning them online, as reported by The Record.
Kyivstar faced a catastrophic cyberattack in 2023 that left the country without telecommunications services for an extended period, as previously reported by The Record . Hackers attacked Ukraine’s state registers during the first months of the year by compromising sensitive government databases
Ukrzaliznytsia took emergency steps to reduce the effects of this cyberattack. Military personnel could obtain tickets by going to train conductors while passengers who bought tickets online needed to print their PDF tickets or get help at the station before their train left, as reported by Bleeping Computer .
Image by Windows, from Unsplash
Microsoft Announces AI Security Agents
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Microsoft has introduced a new set of AI-powered security agents aimed at helping organizations defend against cyber threats, including phishing and data breaches.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Microsoft introduced AI agents to automate security tasks and detect cyberthreats.
- The AI tools operate within Microsoft’s Zero Trust security framework.
- These tools help security teams focus on complex threats instead of routine tasks.
The latest updates to Microsoft Security Copilot, announced on March 24, 2025, expand its capabilities by introducing autonomous AI agents designed to assist security teams.
The move comes as cyberattacks continue to rise in volume and complexity, often overwhelming human security teams. Microsoft reports that it detects over 30 billion phishing emails annually and processes 84 trillion security signals per day. These threats include 7,000 password attacks per second, as explained in the announcement.
Among the new AI agents is the Phishing Triage Agent in Microsoft Defender, which can automatically analyze phishing emails to distinguish real threats from false alarms. Other agents focus on data security, insider threats, and vulnerability management.
Microsoft stated that its AI agents help security teams by automating routine tasks, allowing them to focus on complex cyberthreats. The company highlighted that these tools are integrated within its Zero Trust framework, ensuring security teams maintain control.
In addition to Microsoft’s own agents, five AI security agents developed by third-party partners will also be available. For instance, the OneTrust Privacy Breach Response Agent assists organizations in analyzing data breaches to comply with privacy regulations.
Blake Brannon, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at OneTrust, called this “game-changing” for the industry, saying, “Autonomous AI agents will help our customers scale, augment, and increase the effectiveness of their privacy operations.”
Additionally, the announcement states that Microsoft Defender will now extend AI security posture management beyond Azure and AWS to include Google VertexAI and other AI models. New detection tools are set to also help security teams identify AI-specific threats, such as indirect prompt injection attacks and data leaks.
The updates, including enhanced phishing protections for Microsoft Teams, will roll out starting in April 2025.
