Cybersecurity in smart cities is one of the biggest challenges for upcoming smart cities in the world. By 2050, about 66% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities. Cybersecurity is a prerequisite for all smart cities in existence, development or in plans of development. This means ensuring that all 9 yards for security are well thought through and executed. Everything from having a Quick reaction plan or force, a backup facility, cloud management, and even manual overrides.
Smart cities must adjust and adapt to the requirements and complexities of the new cybersecurity landscape. Let’s take a look at the new cybersecurity landscape we would all be dealing with:
Realities of cybersecurity in Smart Cities
Wider attack surface:
With the introduction of new web and mobile apps, IoT, connected homes, connected cars, and even connected logistics, it’s going to be crazy chaos of data flying all over the place. To put it in simpler words, everything is hackable. So where do you start? When you put more things on the line, you are literally putting more at stake. It’s like when you colonize multiple landmasses, you are exposing a larger surface for yourself to be attacked from different angles. So not only is there a need to grow a team but to have the right knowledge and expertise is an absolute must! A key added bonus would be to understand IoT security and ensure that that the most intricate of data is well protected.
Hackers have more to be motivated with:
As the ‘internet of things’ starts to connect more and more things in our daily lives, we’re going to see a trend of excessive financial transactions and data passing on to the internet. It goes without saying that the goldmine of billions and billions of dollars opens up to a whole new set of hackers. So all we can do is, be prepared to experience and anticipate some new and innovative ways of being attacked.
Lack of foresight intelligence:
Cybersecurity is a game of intelligence and know-how. It certainly is not a game of astrology. No one anticipated the heinous cybercrimes that would be committed in this day and age we live in, a few years ago despite all the preparedness in security. No one can certainly predict what will happen in the future. A huge worry is that despite security measures and laws being ramped up, the motivation to attack is on an all-new high. So being proactive about security is a good start but it’s sad to say, that the fear of being attacked and the prophesized form it will come in, will always be there no matter what.
Can’t keep up with the demands of agility:
Consumer demands have shifted since the beginning of time. We live in an era where instantaneity is a must-have for comprehensive business advantage. Cybersecurity should evolve on an everyday basis and that’s something businesses still need to come to a grip with. Testing security once and running business under the false impression that it is secure, is one of the worst mistakes we could make. In fact, security should be incorporated right from the development stages and monitored on a timely and better still, a daily basis. Agility is going to play a huge role in helping keep smart cities properly sanitized from cyber threats.
A lot of experts may argue that these are basic points that go into the construction of a smart city plan but the answer to that is pretty simple. If it was or even is, evidence of a safer cybersecurity eco-system would speak for itself. We wouldn’t be hacked like the way we are or we wouldn’t live in the fear of being controlled in the future. They say the best defense is an offense and if you are unsure where to get started on, as we mentioned before, get your basics right! Everything from having a fully automated security testing system, a quick reaction plan or force, a backup facility, cloud management, multiple manuals overrides, push for tougher cybersecurity laws and most importantly raise public awareness.