Project Background
The Gippsland Line Upgrade (GLU), delivered by the VicConnect Alliance (UGL, Decmil, and Arup), is a critical rail infrastructure project aimed at modernizing the train control, signaling, and communication systems on the Gippsland Line. A key component of the project is the integration of a SIL 4 signaling upgrade, a new train control system (TCS), and advanced communications infrastructure to enhance safety, security, and operational efficiency across the network.
Given the increasing cyber threats to transport infrastructure, Innova was engaged as the Cyber Security Program Lead for the GLU project, ensuring compliance with V/Line safety management standards, regulatory frameworks, and international cybersecurity best practices. In addition, Innova provided a Communications Design Lead resources and Independent Verifier (IV) seconded into the project to oversee technical reviews, design integrity, verification processes, and risk management within the vital and non-vital communications, signaling, and train control system packages.
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How Innova Helped
Innova took a security-by-design approach to integrate cybersecurity protections across the communications, train control, and signaling systems. Our key contributions included:
- Compliance & Standards Alignment: Ensured conformance with V/Line PS&TR requirements, VPDSS, ISO 27001, IEC 62443, EN 50126, and EN 50159.
- Risk Assessment & Threat Modelling: Conducted detailed risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities across vital and non-vital systems and developed mitigation strategies aligned with railway cyber resilience frameworks.
- Digital Communications Network (DCN) Security Enhancements: Designed segmentation, encryption, and access control policies to safeguard critical communications infrastructure.
- Safety Assurance & Systems Engineering: Supported the Safety and Engineering Safety Assurance (SESA) case report, ensuring cybersecurity integration met safety-critical system requirements.
- Obsolescence & Lifecycle Management: Developed cybersecurity risk registers and asset lifecycle strategies to ensure long-term resilience and upgradeability of communication networks.
Communications Design Lead & Independent Verification
Innova provided leadership in communications engineering and independent verification oversight, ensuring compliance with project specifications and best practices. Our key responsibilities included:
- End-to-End Communications System Design: Led the design and integration of mission-critical communications, ensuring interoperability with train control and signaling networks.
- Independent Verification & Risk Management: Provided independent design verification to validate systems architecture, technical specifications, and cybersecurity protections.
- Stakeholder Coordination & Engineering Governance: Engaged with product suppliers, V/Line, government departments, and key contractors to align design objectives, risk management strategies, and milestone deliverables.
- Technical Due Diligence & Compliance Audits: Conducted peer reviews and technical assessments to verify compliance with regulatory, safety, and cybersecurity mandates.
Achieved Outcomes
- Successfully identified and integrated cybersecurity controls into the signaling, train control, and communications systems, ensuring compliance with V/Line, VPDSS, Federal and international cyber security requirements and standards.
- Developed a secure-by-design framework, mitigating cyber threats while enabling future scalability and technology upgrades.
- Strengthened digital communications network security, enhancing resilience against cyber threats and operational disruptions.
- Ensured design integrity and regulatory compliance through independent verification and peer reviews.
- Established a risk-based governance model, improving engineering oversight and cybersecurity risk management.
- Developed technical solutions and technical designs across multiple disciplines integrating the systems to existing operational environments.
- Solutions were determined based on cost/benefit assessments with objective of realising benefits to the operator and to State.
Conclusion
Innova’s leadership in cybersecurity, communications design, and independent verification has been instrumental in the successful delivery of the Gippsland Line Upgrade. By embedding cybersecurity in design, enhancing communications resilience, and ensuring engineering assurance, we have supported the project’s goal of delivering a safer, more reliable, and future- proofed railway system for Victorians