In 2012, Austrian author Marc Elsberg released his best-selling novel Blackout: Tomorrow Will Be Too Late. It’s a disaster thriller that focuses on cyber-terrorism. A group of disenfranchised hackers manipulates a network of European power stations, destabilizing the grid, and plunging Europe into chaos.
The loss of power is a catalyst that leads to a domino effect of disasters, from food shortages and the devaluation of money to nuclear catastrophes and societal collapse. Elsberg was praised for his meticulous research and realism. Of course, Blackout takes the dangers of a cyber-attack to the extreme, but it’s all within the bounds of possibility.
Though the events that take place in Blackout are a work of fiction, as more cities embrace inter-connectivity and smart technology, the threat of serious cyber-attacks on digital infrastructure is very real. In 2015, a cyber-attack compromised Ukraine’s power grid, compromising corporate date, denying the distribution of energy, disabling IT infrastructure, and destroying countless data files.
As cities get smarter, it begs the question: if a power station can be hacked, what else can be?
According to research from ABI Research, there will be an estimated 1.3 billion wide-area network smart city connections by 2024. The same report provided an investment forecast for cyber security infrastructure that valued $135 billion for the same year. While it seems like an immense amount of money, it’s expected that only 44% of that figure will be used to protect the energy, public security, healthcare, water, waste, and transport industries. That’s only $59.4 billion.
While it’s only an estimate, that sum is insufficient given the importance of those sectors. In fact, the ABI Research report went as far as to declare state that the future of municipal cyber security was “woefully underfunded.”
As smart cities become more interconnected, and the level of digital infrastructure becomes more complex, these services will become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Even the smallest vulnerability can be exploited to great effect, and smart cities are only as strong as their weakest link.
That’s why governments need to pay more attention to cyber security and focus investment into threat prevention. Otherwise, governments will always be on the back foot, as hackers take advantage of security lapses.
Smart cities are evolving fast. Currently, many cities in the world rely on a wide network of sensors, technologies, and interconnected data-gathering portals to operate smoothly. In the future, the number of connected technologies in use will skyrocket.
More city governments are warming to smart city technologies to improve the quality of life for the residents of their cities. This modern technology can provide easily-implemented solutions to a multitude of problems. For example, this next-generation infrastructure can help to improve traffic flow, streamline waste collections, boost energy efficiency, and more.
Unfortunately, these Internet of Things (IoT) technologies can easily be hacked if they’re implemented too soon, and without a proper security evaluation.
While the most talked-about threat is from hackers and other bad actors, wide networks of sensors and infrastructure areas also vulnerable to physical damage from inclement weather, natural disasters, and vandalism. For urban services that rely on digitized systems, a thunderstorm or a flash flood could be just as disruptive as a malicious hacker.
Smart cities are vulnerable to cyber attacks in many ways. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are some of the most dangerous. These threats rely on several different attacks working in unison to disrupt urban services, often using malware and “zero-day” software vulnerabilities.
Internet of Things technologies are particularly vulnerable, and while it’s possible to patch any exposed areas, hackers can do lasting damage. This damage may leave vast swaths of infrastructure, both physical and digital, in need of replacement. Here are some of the many attacks that could damage smart city infrastructure:
These are just some of the many ways that bad actors can attack smart cities. When the Harvard Business Review reported that “smart cities are going to be a security nightmare,” they weren’t wrong. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. If the right steps are taken, and city leaders act cautiously, cities can keep security threats to the minimum. Here’s how.
Cities can minimize cyber security risks by taking several precautions and by enlisting the right kind of help. There are two ways of doing this.
The first involves hiring a third-party security company to try and infiltrate and find flaws in a network. Essentially, third-party firms will simulate attacks and try to exploit any weaknesses. After an attack, the security company will explain any vulnerabilities, and suggest realistic protection measures. This kind of penetration testing is excellent, though it’s better to develop infrastructure that’s impregnable from day one.
The second security measure that cities can do is ensure that their connected infrastructure is safe from hackers even if they manage to gain entry. To keep smart cities protected, it’s advised that the following features should be a regular part of a city’s cyber security program:
These simple security measures can help protect a smart city. However, services like these aren’t free. Cost is an issue, and many cities and governments currently operate without any kind of dedicated cyber security budget.
A 2018 survey from Deloitte-NASCIO found that almost half of the states in the USA lacked a cyber security budget and that most states allocate less than 3% of their IT budgets to cyber security. In the age of inter-connectivity, cyber security needs to be a bigger priority. This is especially alarming as the USA has seen several small-scale ransomware attacks recently, such as this one in Atlanta, and this one in Texas.
The cost of adequate cyber security may seem expensive, but when compared to the damage that can be done by compromised systems, it’s a small price to pay.
Investing in expensive security systems is one way to keep smart city services safe, but there are a few cheaper practices available to help nurture safer inter-connectivity. Here are some ideas to keep in mind:
In summary, a smart city can only be as smart as those who are in charge of it. By protecting a city’s smart systems, you’re protecting yourself and your fellow citizens. It’s time we all took cyber security a little more seriously.
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