Cyber Vulnerabilities

 

Cyber Vulnerabilities

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:

• Asset, data, and identity theft – Data theft is arguably the most well-known cyber crime. Hackers can infiltrate data banks and steal personally identifiable information (PII). Smart city infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to this, and hackers have been known to extract personal data from public payment infrastructure with serious consequences.
• Hijacking devices – Device hijacking is one of the more frightening aspects of cyber crime. Using security vulnerabilities, attackers can take control of a device and use it to disrupt a process. Traffic lights and road signals are particularly vulnerable.
• Man-In-The-Middle attacks – An MitM is when a hacker can interrupt communication between two devices and pose as the sender, sending false information to cause trouble. For example, a hacker may gain access to a mobility platform and report public transport delays, which could lead to more people taking a car to work, causing an influx in traffic that brings a city to a standstill.
• Distributed Denial of Service – DDoS attacks are simple. A hacker can overwhelm a system by bombarding it with requests, blocking the service for those who need it. With real-life users unable to access a service, city systems will fail to support their citizens.
• Ransomware – All of the above could be used to hold a city to ransom. Hackers, or hacktivists, use these to compromise a process or release confidential data unless certain demands are met. Paying a ransom would set a dangerous precedent.
•  Physical disruption – Old-fashioned physical force can also be used to compromise a complex connected network. As many systems rely on intricate processes and feedback from networks of sensors, physical damage to any component could cause a chain-reaction of damage.