Smart City Partnerships

Cities generate over 70 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP). Most industries
and commercial entities are located in or in the
vicinity of urban areas. As urbanization increases,
cities—especially in underdeveloped nations—
will face a host of challenges. Information and
communications technologies (ICT) provide great
opportunities for overcoming these challenges
and improving overall economic well-being for
city dwellers and workers. 

Efforts to utilize ICT in urban centers are often referred to as “Smart Cities” initiatives. While Smart Cities rely on a host of different ICT, one of the most important
technological developments underlying these efforts
is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT promises a wide
range of benefits to Smart Cities, but also carries a
number of serious cybersecurity risks. This paper
examines how IoT might be used to support Smart
Cities, explores the cybersecurity risks associated
with IoT technologies, and proposes a number of
steps that might be taken to address those risks.