Connections Between Climate Change & Cybersecurity [extract]
Connections Between Climate Change and Cybersecurity
Research Report: This Premium article is exclusive to premium subscribers. For unrestricted website access please Subscribe: £5 monthly / £50 annual.
As global digital connectivity increases, the interplay between cybersecurity and climate change has become increasingly evident, demanding urgent attention.
This report explores how climate change impacts digital infrastructure, introduces new cyber vulnerabilities, and exacerbates geopolitical tensions, while outlining strategies to mitigate these risks.
Climate Change Impacts on Digital Infrastructure
The digital ecosystem relies on a fragile physical infrastructure, including power stations, networking cables, and data centres, which is highly susceptible to climate-related disruptions. Extreme weather events—such as rising sea levels, flooding, and hurricanes—threaten the integrity of these components. For instance, Hurricane Sandy in 2012 disrupted major data centres in the United States, causing widespread internet outages. Similarly, a 2018 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia damaged undersea cables, interrupting mobile networks and financial transactions.
Climate-related disasters can also compromise critical infrastructure, increasing the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches. The 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in the United States, which forced a shutdown of fuel distribution and cost over $4 million in ransom, exemplifies how vulnerabilities in critical systems can be exploited during crises. The economic fallout from such incidents can be significant, with losses extending beyond immediate costs.
continues ...
(Full article length: 780 words)
To continue reading please Subscribe
