Many view smart cities as the future of urban living, promising to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of city services and the quality of life for residents while helping cities keep pace with growth and the associated pressure on aging infrastructures. To do this, smart cities must weave the Internet of Things (IoT) and interconnected devices into the existing technology infrastructure to bring entire communities online. However, this new wave of energy and excitement also brings new cyber risks that could impact the very existence of smart cities.
Smart cities are fast approaching mainstream, and for good reason: a 2018 United Nations study found that over 55 percent of the world’s population lives in an urban environment, and the top 33 cities all have populations in excess of ten million people. Across these vast urban landscapes, interconnected networks of IoT devices can do much to relieve congestion, reduce environmental impact, improve community health and safety, modernize city services and much more.