Boy arrested over London transport cyber hack

Teenager held on suspicion of computer misuse and fraud over attack on TfL website

Schoolboy, 16, arrested over cyber-attack which caused chaos on London Underground

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested over a cyber-attack on the Transport for London (TfL) website which caused chaos on the London Underground. The teenager was held on suspicion of computer misuse and fraud by officers from the Metropolitan Police's cyber crime unit on Tuesday morning.

The arrest came after TfL launched an investigation into a series of attacks on its website and mobile app on Monday, which caused widespread disruption to services. The attacks, which began at around 8am, prevented passengers from checking timetables, buying tickets and topping up their Oyster cards.

TfL said the attacks were "designed to cause maximum disruption and inconvenience to our customers" and that it was working with the police to identify those responsible.
The Metropolitan Police said the boy was arrested at an address in north London and was being questioned at a police station in central London.

No one was injured in the attacks, but they caused widespread disruption to services on the London Underground, with some stations being closed and trains being delayed or cancelled.

TfL said it was "taking the matter extremely seriously" and that it was "working hard to ensure that our systems are secure and that our customers can continue to use our services safely and reliably."

The arrest is the latest in a series of cyber-attacks on UK infrastructure in recent months. In October, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned that the UK was facing an "unprecedented" level of cyber threats, and that businesses and organisations needed to take steps to protect themselves.
The NCSC said that the attacks on TfL were a reminder of the importance of cyber security, and that businesses and organisations needed to take steps to protect themselves.

"Cyber-attacks are a serious threat to our national security and our economy," the NCSC said. "Businesses and organisations need to take steps to protect themselves from these attacks, and they should seek advice from the NCSC if they are unsure how to do so."

The arrest of the 16-year-old boy is a significant development in the investigation into the cyber-attacks on TfL, and it is hoped that it will lead to the identification and arrest of those responsible.