The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) is looking to help public sector organisations securely implement and sustain smart place technology.
Launching a new publication titled An Introduction to Securing Smart Places, ACSC said smart places, also known as smart cities, were places designed to provide enhanced services to citizens through a collection of smart Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-enabled systems and devices that captured, communicated and analysed data.
“The highly-connected nature of a smart place creates efficiencies for users, and provides finer control and oversight of the place’s operation to its implementers, but also presents an increased risk profile,” ACSC said.
“The interconnection of systems and devices at scale complicates and amplifies existing security risks in individual technologies, enables pivoting between previously separate infrastructures and results in an overall larger attack surface,” it said.
“The storage of aggregated or sensitive data and potential connection to critical systems, including critical infrastructure, make smart places an even more attractive target for adversaries.”
ACSC said system failures in smart places could have significant consequences, even without the involvement of adversaries, due to poor requirements gathering, design, engineering or simple misadventure.
It said that through malicious or non-malicious activity, disruption of a single service may result in cascading effects to other systems, potentially leading to significant consequences for citizens.
“The impact of failures in a smart place may range from reputational embarrassment and financial loss to a threat to life,” the Agency warned.
“As smart places continue to evolve in Australia, it is imperative that organisations understand the cyber security risks involved when considering and implementing the associated technologies and systems.”
The ACSC said its An Introduction to Securing Smart Places provided an overview of common security risks and mitigation advice to better secure smart places and the underpinning technologies.
The ACSC’s four-page publication can be accessed at this PS News link.
