by Brianna Crandall — June 3, 2015—A not-for-profit global initiative has just been launched to ensure basic security measures are built in at the ground level as countries around the world are putting money into creating “smart,” Internet-connected cities, announces Kaspersky Lab, an IT security innovator and provider of endpoint protection solutions used worldwide.
Backed by leading information technology (IT) security researchers, companies and organizations, including IOActive, Kaspersky Lab, Bastille and the Cloud Security Alliance, the Securing Smart Cities initiative aims to solve the cybersecurity challenges smart cities face, through collaboration and information sharing. The group will serve as a communications node between companies, governments, media outlets, not-for-profit initiatives and individuals across the world involved in the creation, improvement and promotion of smart and safe technologies for modern cities.
As many organizations around the world are working on intelligent solutions to make urban areas energy-efficient, comfortable, environmentally-friendly and physically safe, far fewer are considering the cybersecurity of these smart cities, says Kaspersky. However, the more IT is involved in the creation of a smart city, the greater the potential risk. If security is not addressed early on, the cost and complexity of creating a smart city could make it far more difficult to address problems. In the end, the city would be left vulnerable, says the company.
The Securing Smart Cities initiative seeks to prevent this outcome using a range of activities, such as:
- Educating smart city planners and providers on the importance and cost benefits of security best practices;
- Collaborating with partners to share ideas and methodologies;
- Endorsing the significance and benefits of introducing security early into the development lifecycle of a project or plan;
- Fostering partnerships between cities, providers, and the security community; and
- Creating standards, guidelines, and resources to help improve cybersecurity across all areas related to smart cities.
Participants of Securing Smart Cities believe that the initiative could help to efficiently and responsibly share knowledge about the cybersecurity of modern cities. It will connect vendors of public infrastructure automation equipment with security researchers ready to validate the secure functioning of these products. It will also bring city authorities together with the security community to collaboratively solve new security problems.
For more information and to see the most recent updates on Securing Smart Cities activities, visit the organization’s Web site.
