Securing Smart Cities aims to make smart cities safer

Soon a new not-for-profit global initiative, Securing Smart Cities, is going to be launched with the aim to solve the cyber security challenges that smart cities face through collaboration and information sharing.

Backed by leading IT security researchers, companies and organisations including IOActive, Kaspersky Lab, Bastille and the Cloud Security Alliance, the group plans to serve as a communications node for 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.

The concept of a smart city is very topical and many organisations are working on intelligent solutions to make urban areas energy efficient, comfortable, environmentally friendly and physically safe.

Unfortunately, there are concerns about the cyber security of these smart cities. The more IT organisations involved in creating a smart city, the greater is the potential risk.

The 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

Creating standards, guidelines, and resources to help improve cyber security across all areas related to smart cities

Participants in the initiative believe that it will help efficiently and responsibly share knowledge about the cyber security of modern cities. It will also connect vendors of infrastructure automation equipment with security researchers.