Cybersecurity will lag development of smart cities

Subject

Cybersecurity in smart cities.

Significance

Cybersecurity is one of the key challenges of smart city initiatives. Systems that analyse and interpret citizen behavior present unique challenges for privacy and security as they create attractive targets for malicious actors, repressive regimes and intelligence agencies.

Impacts

• Innovation among technology vendors will be inhibited so long as they see a risk of liability when collaborating with cities.
• Citizens will continue to bear ultimate responsibility for what data they share and how they are used (or misused).
• Cybersecurity protections will become a point of differentiation among technology vendors.