A train company that serves Worcester has been criticised for a cynical and shocking stunt after sending an email to staff promising the front line workers a bonus only to later reveal it was a cyber security test. West Midlands Trains (WMT) emailed staff to tell them they would get a financial reward for their hard work during the Covid pandemic. Staff were invited to click on a link for information of your one-off payment . But the company sent a further email to those who opened the link, explaining that this was a test designed by our IT team . A union described it as crass and reprehensible behaviour .
An Oct. 30 file photo shows a GWR (Great Western Railway) train waiting on a platform at Bristol Temple Meads station in Bristol, England. (AP Photo)
LONDON Passengers faced significant travel disruption Saturday in Britain as a number of high-speed trains were taken out of service to undergo precautionary checks for cracks.
Network Rail, which runs the nation’s tracks, said cracks were discovered on several Hitachi 800 trains. The trains are used by several train operators, including Great Western Railway, which serves passengers between London and the west of England and south Wales, and London North Eastern Railway, which connects links Edinburgh and London.
West Midlands Railway sent staff fake bonus email in cyber-security test
Published
image captionWest Midlands Railway said it regularly ran exercises to test its cyber-security
A train company has been criticised for a cynical and shocking stunt after it promised staff a bonus in what was actually a cyber-security test.
West Midlands Trains (WMT) emailed staff to tell them they would get a financial reward for their hard work during the Covid pandemic.
But if staff clicked the link for more information they received a second email explaining this was a test .
A union described it as crass and reprehensible behaviour .
It also presented staff with a link to click on to receive more information on their bonus and to see a message from WMT s Managing Director Julian Edwards.
However, once staff clicked on the link, they received an email notifying them that the email was a test. A copy of this follow-up email was also posted on TSSA s website which said that the original message was meant to entice staff by using both the promise of thanks and financial reward to try and convince you to provide your details.
A spokesperson for WMT said that this important test was deliberately designed with the sort of language used by real cyber criminals but without the damaging consequences.
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