Thinking Smarter About Smart City Security

Thinking Smarter About Smart City Security

The world is quickly urbanizing, and people are flocking from suburbs and rural areas to cities more than ever before. By 2050, 68 percent of the global population will live in cities, and while concerns like public safety and security are top of mind, the integration of internet-connected devices (IoT) and convergence of physical and cybersecurity promise improvement and better support for safe urban living and improved mobility.

From smart transportation like driverless vehicles and smart parking management, to smart thermostats, fire and water detectors in buildings, to gunshot detection and supply chain management— IoT-enabled smart cities have the opportunity to increase security, public safety and overall quality of life in large urban settings. In fact, the IoT in the smart cities market is projected to be worth $219.6 billion by 2023. However, these devices and systems also come along with security and data integration challenges that require proactivity and strategic partnerships, defined by collaboration between private and public entities.

IoT Security Challenges

To tackle a big challenge and opportunity like IoT security, it’s best to start out small by considering the different aspects of cyber and physical convergence. Because every device has a hardware and a software component, they must be approached holistically. '

One integral part of improving smart cities involves the effective use of smart communication and alert systems. From natural disaster evacuations to security lockdown alerts, smart alert systems create value by giving advanced warning to the public and improving first responders’ and emergency response times. IoT devices can detect storms and dangerous activity and send warnings to the public quicker and more efficiently, boosting public safety.

Other IoT devices like video surveillance can enhance safety through heightened intelligence, leading to a better overall safe economic climate through facial recognition, license plate detection, weapon detection and environmental monitoring in smart buildings. IoT devices, such as self-driving cars and shuttles, connected intersections, smart parking and drone deliveries in the future, can play a role in smart city planning through improved transportation and citizen mobility. There are many encouraging advanced technology developments underway, such as LiDAR sensor technology testing and usage, and the DHS Next Generation First Responder (NGFR) Apex programs.

With more than 2 billion motor vehicles set to hit the world’s roads by 2040, solving overcrowding on roads is important to prevent congestion and save lives. Drones can assess traffic accidents from a new angle to help detectives and give police officers a better perspective and accurate investigation data. 5G capabilities, in addition to C-V2X communications, can deliver direct communications between cars and other smart objects in a city—warning vehicles of traffic, accidents, crowded intersections and more.

While all of this new technology can help secure smart cities, the technology itself poses security risks that must be addressed before implementation. Because there are software components to the devices, they must be updated often. These updates help to prevent vulnerabilities, which hackers are known to target for access to private data and information. Other solutions include security built into the design process, patching, effective cloud-based device monitoring and more.

The Three P Approach to Smart Cities

From public health to affordable housing, municipalities are building innovative partnerships to modernize infrastructure and improve the overall quality of life in America’s cities. Past experience demonstrates how cities can overcome traditional barriers to financing smart cities by investing in new technology and infrastructure and bringing critical players and budget sources together to create economic development.

Enter Public Private Partnerships, also referred to as P3. Private entities can reap the benefits of smart cities by investing and working in partnership with the local government and law enforcement agencies to share information and resources.

A good example of a P3 approach to IoT security are sensors. Sensors that are deployed for smart city initiatives can be integrated with public safety sensors, enhancing situational awareness through big data analytics. However, the growth in smart city big data and the criticality of smart city systems will make them targets for more advanced persistent threats (APT), or newer threats to confidentiality, integrity and availability. Success will require strong coordination across IT, OT and Physical Security decision makers.

Another benefit to a P3 approach, as pointed out by Itai Dadon, Director of IoT at Itron, is that in many cities, the research itself on the ROI of the major infrastructure upgrades required to support IoT applications is a substantial investment in itself and takes a long time. Therefore, many leading cities have needed to rely on P3 arrangements to accelerate their smart city deployments.

Thinking Smarter for Big Results

IoT-connected smart cities provide many opportunities to improve security and safety while supporting urbanization and improving mobility. In establishing private-public partnerships focused on solving problems like infrastructure and cybersecurity, cities and corporations can work together to prepare for all security risks and opportunities in order to ensure a prosperous and safe future for urban populations.

This article originally appeared in the September 2019 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.