Cybersecurity on the Fast Lane

 

AI is also playing a transformative role. From detecting cloned FASTags to identifying abnormal toll transactions, AI-driven systems enhance fraud detection, monitor infrastructure health, and secure cloud-based toll platforms. India is actively integrating these tools, with NHAI deploying AI-enabled surveillance, FASTag audits, and enforcing data localization for compliance. In today’s digital highway ecosystem, staying ahead of cyber threats means more than upgrading software, writes Vishal Darad, Tecsidel India Pvt Ltd.

 

As India’s toll systems grow smarter and more connected, they also become increasingly attractive targets for cyberattacks. Modern toll management software processes high-value data vehicle IDs, license plates, payment details, and real-time location making strong cybersecurity not just a technical need but an operational priority.

The toll plaza implicated in a significant cyber fraud case is the Atraila Shiv Gulam Toll Plaza in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. In early 2025, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) uncovered a nationwide scam involving fraudulent software installed at over 200 toll plazas across 14 states. This software allowed toll operators to bypass the official National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) system, diverting toll revenues into private accounts. The fraudulent system primarily targeted vehicles without FASTag, charging them double the standard toll fee and issuing fake receipts. This led to daily embezzlements of up to ₹45,000 at individual toll plazas, with the full extent of the financial losses still under investigation.

In response to this widespread fraud, the NHAI has issued directives to enhance monitoring and prevent the use of unauthorized software at toll plazas. These measures include surprise audits, stricter background checks for toll plaza operators and IT personnel, and the installation of AI-powered surveillance systems.

As our roads become smarter and toll systems more digitized, the unseen infrastructure driving seamless transportation is increasingly under threat – not from traffic jams, but from cyberattacks. Toll management software, which handles everything from vehicle identification to online payments, sits at a critical intersection of public infrastructure and private data. And yet, one of its most powerful defences remains the most human: cybersecurity awareness.

At first glance, a toll management system may not seem like a prime target for cybercriminals. But think again. Every toll transaction processes a stream of valuable information – vehicle data, license plate images, user profiles, billing information and often real-time geolocation. Without strong cybersecurity protocols, this data is at risk of theft, manipulation or even complete system shutdown. That’s where cybersecurity awareness comes in – arming people behind the software with the knowledge to stop breaches before they start.

While toll software vendors build in firewalls and encryption, attackers often find it easier to go after the humans instead of the code. Phishing emails disguised as IT alerts or billing notices can trick toll operators or customer service staff into clicking malicious links or surrendering login credentials.

Cybersecurity awareness training teaches employees to

• Spot suspicious emails and social engineering attempts
• Use strong, unique passwords for system access
• Identify and report abnormal system behaviour
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi or unsecured devices when accessing toll systems remotely

When One Click Could Halt a Highway

A compromised toll management system could result in

• Disrupted toll collection
• Massive revenue loss
• Backlogged traffic due to faulty access gates
• Public trust erosion

In such high-stakes environments, even one employee clicking a malicious link can trigger widespread chaos. Regular cybersecurity drills, access audits, and phishing simulations can dramatically reduce these risks.

Don’t Just Secure the Software – Secure the People

When adopting or upgrading toll management software, organizations often focus on vendor features and technical specs. But equally important is ensuring that all users – from frontline operators to IT support – understand their role in protecting the system.

Smart Road Ahead

As smart transportation continues to expand, toll systems will only grow more integrated and complex. Cybersecurity awareness is no longer just an IT concern – it’s an operational imperative. In the world of toll management, staying one step ahead means more than optimizing traffic flow – it means keeping data, dollars, and drivers safe from digital threats.

Cyber Tips for Toll Operators

1. Use Two-Factor Authentication on All Platforms: Even if a password gets compromised, two-factor authentication (2FA) provides a second layer of defence. Example: Toll system admin’s login credentials were exposed in a data breach. Thanks to 2FA, the attacker couldn’t access the system without the secondary code sent to the admin’s mobile device.
2. Never Reuse Passwords Across Systems: Reusing passwords makes all systems vulnerable if just one gets breached.

Example: An operator used the same password for their toll login and personal email. When their email account was hacked, the attacker used that same password to access the toll platform.

3. Double-Check Links Before Clicking – Hover First: A toll employee received an email pretending to be from the IT department with a link to “reset your password.” Hovering revealed the link led to a strange domain like tollsupport-secure.net instead of the legitimate company URL.
4. Report Suspicious Emails Immediately: Quick reporting can prevent threats from spreading through the organization. A staff member noticed an email asking for payment release with odd formatting. They reported it, and IT discovered it was part of a larger phishing attempt targeting multiple departments.
5. Don’t Delay Software Updates: Updates fix known bugs that attackers exploit. Postponing them leaves systems exposed. A toll plaza ran outdated software for months. A known vulnerability – patched in the latest update – was exploited in a ransomware attack that halted collections for an entire day.

AI-Driven Cybersecurity in Toll Payment Systems

Modern toll systems are evolving into intelligent, cyber-resilient infrastructures. Here’s how technologies – especially AI – are being used not just for operational efficiency but also to reinforce cybersecurity:

 Smart Vehicle Profiling as a Cybersecurity Tool: AI systems track and analyse metadata such as Vehicle movement patterns, RFID usage history, ANPR verification results, impersonation attacks (e.g., cloned Fastag) Flags mismatches between expected & actual behaviour and aids  in user authentication beyond RFID alone.

Real-Time Fraud Detection: AI algorithms evaluate transactions in real-time to identify abnormal transaction volumes or timing, and detect attempts to spoof RFID tags or compromise toll gateways Cybersecurity acts like an intrusion detection system (IDS) for financial fraud and prevents data manipulation and unauthorized toll access.

Predictive Maintenance & Threat Detection: AI monitors system logs, device health, and network activity to:

• Predict hardware/software failure
• Identify unusual data access or API requests

Cybersecurity Role: Detects potential cyberattacks (e.g., DDoS or malware intrusions) Helps pre-emptively patch vulnerabilities in toll networks

 Automated Violation and Attack Detection: AI-integrated ANPR and video analytics systems automatically flag suspicious vehicle behaviour and detect tampering with cameras, sensors, or data streams.

Cybersecurity adds a physical-cybersecurity layer by monitoring physical actions tied to digital systems and helps prevent manipulation of toll collection data In dynamic toll pricing, AI adjusts tolls based on traffic data and behavioural models. It uses encrypted communication between cloud, sensors, and payment systems. Cybersecurity ensures encrypted toll pricing data isn’t intercepted or altered and maintains trust in fair pricing mechanisms.

With toll systems migrating to cloud platforms, AI supports real-time anomaly detection and threat response. It enables centralized threat intelligence across toll plazas.

Moreover, Cybersecurity ensures data integrity and compliance with security standards (e.g., ISO 27001, PCI-DSS) and reduces the risk of insider threats and third-party breaches.

In India-Specific Cybersecurity Integrations:

NHAI Fastag Cyber Audits include regular security checks on Fastag data handling. AI-Enabled surveillance combines cyber and physical monitoring to secure toll booths. Data Localization Compliance ensures sensitive toll data is stored within India under regulatory frameworks

In short, the key benefits of AI in Toll Cybersecurity includes AI Fraud Detection, preventing unauthorized access & financial loss and ANPR & RFID Verification that prevents identity spoofing. End-to-End encryption secures payment and identity data, cloud AI monitoring enables real-time breach response and predictive AI prevents failures and vulnerabilities

Simple habits like using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and reporting suspicious emails – can prevent system-wide breaches.

There are other technologies available too such as automated violation and attack detection, AI for secure dynamic tolling and cloud-based AI security infrastructure.