Modelling malicious potential: a prototype of a preemptive strategy for mitigating attacks on London‘s bus network

Open data can be defined as data that is freely distributed, used and shared by anyone. Encouragement and promotion of open data sets, is a strategic aim of Governments across the world. Subsequently, both public and private organisations are publishing open data-sets. While open data offers many benefits, it also poses significant challenges. For example, a malicious actor can legitimately access and utilise open data for nefarious purposes. This research demonstrates by way of a examples, how open data can be exploited to identify strategic vulnerabilities in a bus network transport infrastructure. It also proposes the combined use of data analytics, visualisation and modelling based on malicious incentives, as part of a broader strategy for preemptive mitigation of attacks on London’s bus network.