It might have sounded like something out of a science-fiction novel a decade ago, yet smart cities are a reality affecting millions. Their sophisticated, IoT, and AI-driven systems efficiently manage transportation, electricity, and utilities while giving criminals pause. Smart cities are also excellent places to do business, with a projected 100% revenue increase in the next five years.
This convergence of urban living and cutting-edge technology is not without challenges. Below, we explore what vulnerabilities smart cities exhibit and how savvy criminals try to exploit them. We also touch on what strategies smart cities should adopt to thrive in the future.
What Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Are Smart Cities Facing?
Interconnectedness allows smart cities to gather and process huge amounts of data on processes and citizens. This mingling of complex networks creates security loopholes. Cybercriminals exploit them to access data and even seize control of automated infrastructure. It happened before smart cities became an established concept. It will likely happen again.
Lack of standardization is a pressing issue. Billions of IoT devices are already in use today without clear guidelines on security or connection protocols. This leads to problems with compatibility and interoperability. It presents a vast attack surface cybersecurity professionals, and policymakers need to deal with.
The technologies that make cities smart don’t exist in a vacuum. Rather, coexist with and on top of existing legacy systems. These may not be designed with IT integration in mind. Getting them up to code is a capital investment and an opportunity to introduce vulnerabilities.
Sensors, cameras, and other devices generate PII or Personally Identifiable Information. Such info helps reduce crime rates and increase mobility by more effectively governing traffic.
However, improper storage can let sensitive data get into criminals’ hands. Such data can range from personal and location information to banking and even medical information.
Which Threats Arise from Such Vulnerabilities?
A smart city’s reliance on high-speed networks and constant communication is an invitation to hackers hoping to disrupt its operations. Cybersecurity specialists are fighting back! That’s why criminals are coming up with diverse and more sophisticated attack avenues. These aim to take control or shut down services, acquire valuable data, or provide intelligence to other governments.
Data breaches are the most common method of seizing information. They involve exploiting either security vulnerabilities or human nature to steal data. Ransomware is a high-risk data breach method that makes systems it infects inoperable. Since the widespread use of cryptocurrency has made tracing the “kidnappers” harder, this form of attack is sharply rising.
Hackers can overwhelm websites and systems through a coordinated DDoS attack. The lack of standardization helps weaponize various IoT devices for such attacks. They become parts of a botnet. This weaponized collection of connected devices can flood a site and deny legitimate access to it.
Another way of doing damage is to seize a service or device outright. Hackers use man-in-the-middle attacks to hijack communication between two systems. A set of traffic lights and its control unit, for example. They can then feed altered information from one to the other to execute their own commands.
How Can Smart Cities Meet These Challenges?
Coordination and cooperation with stakeholders on all levels. That’s the only way for smart cities to develop in harmony with their inhabitants.
At the highest level, the legislature should account for the challenges smart cities endure. Lawmakers need to create safeguards that lead to standardization and simplify the integration of the many disparate systems that make such cities run. Local policymakers should have a say in this process and adapt their governance strategies to their specific needs.
Each city needs its own cybersecurity framework, policies, and strategies. A dedicated team of cybersecurity experts can plan these out and ensure their implementation. They can also develop new risk scenarios and simulate crises to meet real challenges head-on.
Educating citizens about cybersecurity best practices is another crucial step. The public needs to be aware of the risks and what each of us can do to lessen them.
Stressing healthy practices like using a Chrome password manager for diverse and strong password generation and securely storing backups of vital data is a good first step. A citizenry that also knows to avoid unsecured networks and can recognize attempts at data theft or social engineering is a strong bulwark against cybercrime.
Conclusion
Cities have been getting smarter for a while and will surely grow exponentially by adopting AI and new forms of computing. Recognizing the risks & challenges this opens them up to now will help us make them more resilient against future threats.
