5G Renders Smart Cities More Vulnerable To Attacks

Uploaded on 2023-05-17 in GOVERNMENT-Local, FREE TO VIEW, BUSINESS-Services-IT & Telecoms

Smart cities could transform urban living for the better and from a technological perspective, smart cities can be termed synonymous with digital cities, intelligent cities, wired cities, hybrid cities or information cities.

The ubiquitous connectivity made possible with 5G and IoT will be the primary driver of the first “true” smart cities of the future. However, in order to mitigate the risks of cyber threats that can be exacerbated by inadequately secured and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) technologies, government officials should be aware of smart cities security concerns associated with their supporting infrastructure.

Now, the Five Eyes security alliance is warning of the security risks posed by the widespread use of 5G technology in Smart Cities and the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has led the way in formulating a new set of guidelines warning about the security risks posed by the use of 5G technology in Smart Cities.

A smart city uses technologies and networking to help improve local services and infrastructure management. For example, a smart city can harness the power of the Internet of Things (IoT), MEC and faster networking, such as 4G LTE and 5G, to reduce operational costs and provide better, faster services and information-sharing.

Typically, a smart city collects data using a web of IoT-connected sensors to gather insights about how residents use the environment and access services. This data helps inform decision-makers so resources can be more appropriately allocated. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has expressed concerns that align with these warnings of the Five Eyes security alliance, which has warned that the interconnected nature of a fully connected city makes it vulnerable to cyber attacks.

While Smart Cities offer benefits such as increased efficiency and data-driven decision-making, the downside is that they may expose national and economic security, public health and safety, and critical infrastructure operations to potential vulnerabilities. As Smart Cities become more advanced, they must be able to adapt to the changing cyber landscape in order to protect ourselves from emerging threats. “The intrinsic value of the large data sets and potential vulnerabilities in digital systems means there is a risk of exploitation for espionage and for financial or political gain by malicious threat actors, including nation-states, cybercriminals, hacktivists, insider threats, and terrorists.. ” CISA says.

The risks associated with smart cities are not new. In 2020, the US National Security Agency (NSA) warned that 5G technology used in smart cities could create new attack vectors for hackers, including the potential to disrupt critical infrastructure.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has also highlighted the risks of smart city technology, including the potential for attacks on autonomous vehicles and the use of data to target individuals.

To address these risks, the CISA guidelines recommend that smart cities adopt a risk management approach that includes identifying potential vulnerabilities and implementing appropriate security measures.

Verizon: CISA: I-HLS: CircloidCircleID: Independent Australia: GovTech: Palo Alto Networks: The Mandarin:

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