Authorities in Taiwan have arrested a 23-year-old university student accused of disrupting the communication system of the island’s high-speed railway network, causing multiple trains to halt.
According to local media, the suspect, identified by his surname Lin, used software-defined radio (SDR) equipment and modified handheld radios to interfere with the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR). By transmitting a high-priority “General Alarm” signal, he triggered emergency braking procedures that stopped four trains for approximately 48 minutes.
THSR operates a 350-kilometer line along Taiwan’s western corridor, with trains reaching speeds of up to 300 km/h and serving more than 80 million passengers annually.
Authorities say Lin had previously intercepted and decoded parameters of the TETRA (Trans-European Trunked Radio) communication system using SDR tools purchased online. He then programmed the data into handheld radios, impersonating legitimate railway communication devices. Police allege that a 21-year-old accomplice supplied additional technical information that enabled the attack.
Authorities noted that the communication system’s parameters had not been updated in 19 years.
The incident came to light after THSR engineers detected an unauthorized signal originating from an unassigned radio beacon. The following analysis of system logs and CCTV footage led police to Lin’s residence, where they seized multiple devices, including radios, SDR equipment, and a laptop.
Lin was apprehended on April 28 and is facing charges under Taiwan’s Criminal Code, which could carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. He has since been released on bail of NT$100,000 (approximately $3,280).