Finance
German railway booking systems hit by DDoS attack
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 18, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 18, 2026
Quick Summary
A DDoS attack disrupted German railway booking systems, but Deutsche Bahn's measures minimized impact, restoring services quickly.
German railway booking systems hit by DDoS attack
Impact of the DDoS Attack on Railway Services
Feb 18 (Reuters) - The booking and information systems for Germany's railway operator are back online for all customers after being disrupted by a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack on Tuesday, the railway said on Wednesday.
Response from Deutsche Bahn
"Our countermeasures were effective in minimizing the impact on our customers," Deutsche Bahn wrote in a blog post, without elaborating on who might have been responsible.
Previous Cybersecurity Incidents
Deutsche Bahn has previously been targeted by what German authorities suspect were acts of sabotage, including attackers cutting fibre optic cables and forcing rail traffic to a halt.
(Reporting by Matthias Williams, Editing by Linda Pasquini)
Key Takeaways
- •German railway systems were disrupted by a DDoS attack.
- •Deutsche Bahn implemented effective countermeasures.
- •The attack temporarily affected booking and information systems.
- •Previous incidents involved sabotage of railway infrastructure.
- •The systems are now back online for all customers.
Frequently Asked Questions about German railway booking systems hit by DDoS attack
1What is a DDoS attack?
A Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal functioning of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic.
2What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks, which aim to access, change, or destroy sensitive information.
3What is Deutsche Bahn?
Deutsche Bahn is the German railway company, responsible for operating the majority of rail services in Germany, including passenger and freight transport.
4What are countermeasures in cybersecurity?
Countermeasures are strategies or actions taken to prevent, mitigate, or respond to security threats and vulnerabilities within an organization's information systems.
5What is a fiber optic cable?
A fiber optic cable is a type of cable that contains strands of glass fibers, which transmit data as pulses of light, allowing for high-speed data transmission over long distances.
