British Man Sentenced for Network Rail Wi-Fi Hack
A British man has been sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, for hacking into Network Rail's public Wi-Fi network last year. The attack resulted in thousands of customers being exposed to Islamophobic messaging, causing widespread distress and fear among those who viewed the offensive content.
The Incident
On September 25, 2024, at around 15:00 BST, users attempting to connect to Network Rail's free Wi-Fi network at major UK train stations were redirected to a webpage with hateful messages. The content included references to past terrorist attacks in the UK and abroad, such as the 7/7 attacks in London and the Manchester Arena bombing.
The affected Network Rail stations included London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, and Liverpool Lime Street. Some customers who viewed the webpage feared that an attack was about to take place, causing genuine concern for their safety.
The Investigation
The incident was reported to British Transport Police (BTP) from 15:00 on the same day, prompting an immediate investigation. Officers arrested John Andreas Wik, aged 37, from Greater London, at his home address on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
A search of Wik's mobile phone and work laptop revealed bookmarked pages listing terrorist attacks and Islamophobic messages. It emerged that Wik had used his access as an IT worker at Global Reach Technology to hack into the station Wi-Fi services.
The Role of Global Reach Technology
Global Reach Technology manages the free station WiFi for 20 of Network Rail's biggest and busiest stations, including Bicester Village shopping center. The company was initially alerted to the incident, believing that Wik had been hacked by a third party.
However, upon further investigation, they discovered that Wik had used his company-issued laptop to modify the landing pages, compromising the security of the Wi-Fi network.
The Sentencing
John Andreas Wik pleaded guilty to publishing or distributing material intended to stir up religious hatred. He was sentenced to 24 months' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, by Inner London Crown Court on July 9, 2024.
In addition to the prison sentence, Wik was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £150 ($203) and undertake 280 hours of unpaid work and 25 days of rehabilitation activity.
A Message from DC Adrienne Curzon
DC Adrienne Curzon from British Transport Police said: "This was a highly planned and disturbing abuse of power and access that caused distress and genuine fear to some of those who witnessed his hateful messaging. “Everybody deserves to feel safe when they travel on the railway network, and abuse, intimidation, and violence motivated by hate will never be tolerated.”
This case highlights the importance of reporting such incidents and working together to prevent the spread of hate speech and cybercrime.