{"id":89,"date":"2019-10-11T11:27:26","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T11:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/?p=89"},"modified":"2025-11-18T13:00:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T13:00:44","slug":"harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Harsh Cybersecurity Realities of Smart Cities That No One Is Talking About"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>According to statistics, <strong>54%<\/strong> of the world&#8217;s population lives in cities and that percentage will rise to <strong>66%<\/strong> by 2050. Our cities will be transformed into smart cities. From entire transportation systems to grid stations, everything will be connected to the internet. Yes, this might make things much more convenient for residents, but it also poses a bigger security threat and makes us more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. That is why it is important to design smart cities with security in mind.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/searchsecurity\/definition\/cybersecurity#:~:text=Cybersecurity%20is%20the%20protection%20of,centers%20and%20other%20computerized%20systems.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cybersecurity<\/a> of smart cities is one topic that rarely gets highlighted in print and electronic media. Due to this, there are many harsh realities associated with smart cities most people did not know about. How can you prepare for future attacks on critical infrastructure when you don\u2019t even know about these harsh realities? You can\u2019t. To ensure you are well equipped to face future cybersecurity challenges, it is important to know about the underlying cybersecurity risks of smart cities.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>In this article, you will learn about seven harsh cybersecurity realities of smart cities that no one is talking about but should.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e77bb68540b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69e77bb68540b\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Wider_Attack_Surface_Area\" >Wider Attack Surface Area<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Hackers_Will_Have_More_Opportunities\" >Hackers Will Have More Opportunities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Possibility_of_Panic\" >Possibility of Panic<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Shortage_of_Skilled_personnel\" >Shortage of Skilled personnel<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Lack_of_Real-Time_Intelligence\" >Lack of Real-Time Intelligence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Rapidly_Evolving_Consumer_Demands\" >Rapidly Evolving Consumer Demands<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Control_Wars\" >Control Wars<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Insecure_Web\" >Insecure Web<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/harsh-cybersecurity-realities-of-smart-cities\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wider_Attack_Surface_Area\"><\/span><strong>Wider Attack Surface Area<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Smart cities will consist of connected homes, connected cars, and even connected logistics. This means that there would tons of data moving from one place to another. Throw in millions of IoT devices into the MX and you get a hyperconnected environment where every device might be at risk. With a large attack surface area to target, cybercriminals can fulfill their malicious designs much easier than they do today. The key to success is to master IoT security and try to secure your most critical information.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hackers_Will_Have_More_Opportunities\"><\/span><strong>Hackers Will Have More Opportunities<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The wider attack surface means that hackers will have more vulnerabilities to exploit and it will surely motivate them to do it too. The lack of IoT security standards makes things even worse. With no concrete measures in place to secure your data in transit, hackers won\u2019t find it tough to get access to it. What\u2019s even worse is that they can easily get away with it too because tracking IoT based data transfer and activity can be tough. You could have many unattended devices that you might have forgotten about, but hackers can easily compromise those devices and use them to get access to your critical systems.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Possibility_of_Panic\"><\/span><strong>Possibility of Panic<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Despite all the efforts, customers are still reluctant to share their sensitive information online. Did you know why? Because they believe that brands can not keep their data safe from hackers. News of frequent data breaches where hackers can steal sensitive credit card information of users is a testament to that. All this is happening today when the idea of smart cities is in its infancy. Imagine the level of fear and panic situation it would create when your private data can be accessed by anyone, whether it is your grocer, government, or even your friends. You are literally being watched and monitored round the clock.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shortage_of_Skilled_personnel\"><\/span><strong>Shortage of Skilled personnel<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The cybersecurity industry is struggling to fill in the talent gap. There is far less talented and skilled personnel out there who can deal with current and future challenges. On the other hand, the army of hackers will only grow in number as they can get motivation from a wider attack surface, soft targets, and the ability to get away without leaving a trace. The best way to cope up with this situation is to invest in good cybersecurity tools. Follow the best cybersecurity practices and hire ethical hackers to help you out. Take steps that can help you minimize the risk of cyberattacks. All this will help you fill in the talent shortage gap.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lack_of_Real-Time_Intelligence\"><\/span><strong>Lack of Real-Time Intelligence<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><em>Cybersecurity<\/em> is like a cat and mouse game. Both hackers and security professionals are trying to outdo one another. At the end of the day, the party who stays one step ahead of the other wins. That is where real-time intelligence or threat intelligence can make all the difference. Despite all the technology and tools, you can not predict a cyberattack. Hackers know that and choose the time to launch an attack when you least expect them. If you are not prepared for it, you might pay a price for it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rapidly_Evolving_Consumer_Demands\"><\/span><strong>Rapidly Evolving Consumer Demands<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Customer demands change rapidly, and businesses must adapt in order to survive and thrive. As the consumer demands new services, businesses will create new applications to fulfill their needs but how secure will these new applications be is a big question mark. Do these new applications have built-in security controls to cope up with emerging cybersecurity threats? Unfortunately, the answer is no. What\u2019s even worse is the fact that most businesses don\u2019t regularly test those applications or test the effectiveness of their security measures and they believe that they are safe just because they have deployed the advanced security solutions on their best dedicated servers. This makes them more complacent towards <em>cybersecurity <\/em>and they become a soft target for cyber attackers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Control_Wars\"><\/span><strong>Control Wars<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Last but certainly not least is control wars. All these hyperconnected infrastructures of a smart city will be managed by an authority, which can also be challenged by external players. For instance, a country might try to take control of a smart city present in its enemy country by launching state-sponsored cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure. They can target critical installations such as power grid and health care facilities and slowly bring the smart city down to its knees.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Insecure_Web\"><\/span><strong>Insecure Web<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>With billions of devices connecting to the internet and huge amount of data present online, it will surely grab the attention of hackers. They will hijack IoT devices and use them to launch attacks to bring down websites. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itsonmedia.com\/website-maintenance-service\/\">Website<\/a> owners need to keep their guard up and take steps to protect their websites from these attacks. Having an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ownyouronline.govt.nz\/business\/get-protected\/guides\/benefits-of-using-https-across-your-website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HTTPS website<\/a> will no longer be enough, you will have to go above and beyond to secure your website.<br \/><br \/><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p data-start=\"408\" data-end=\"740\">There is no denying the fact that smart cities are the future, but they also come with serious cybersecurity consequences. Until we take concrete measures to curb those cybersecurity threats, smart cities will not see the light of day. Even if they do become a reality, these harsh realities will continue to haunt their citizens.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"742\" data-end=\"1003\">To strengthen digital infrastructure, even businesses must make secure choices\u2014starting with selecting the <a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/best-web-hosting-provider-for-your-website\/\" data-start=\"851\" data-end=\"951\">best web hosting provider<\/a> that can protect their online systems and data.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>According to statistics, 54% of the world&#8217;s population lives in cities and that percentage will rise to 66% by 2050. Our cities will be transformed into smart cities. From entire transportation systems to grid stations, everything will be connected to the internet. Yes, this might make things much more convenient for residents, but it also [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":91,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[99,145,144],"class_list":{"0":"post-89","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-cybersecurity","9":"tag-cybersecurity-news","10":"tag-what-is-cybersecurity"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2120,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions\/2120"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itsonmedia.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}