Security gaps in the smart city
Experts from Kaspersky Lab have found numerous vulnerabilities in speed cameras used for traffic monitoring in cities. According to them, criminals can easily gain access to these cameras and manipulate the data collected in them.
The smart city is supposed to make citizens' lives easier and safer, but it can also pose a threat to their data and security, as a Study by Kaspersky Lab shows, which was conducted in several Russian cities and reveals possible cyber vulnerabilities.
Speed cameras tracked down
Using the "Internet of Things" search engine Shodan, Kaspersky Lab experts were able to locate the IP addresses of several speed cameras that are openly accessible via the Internet. The problem: no password is required to access the cameras' image and video footage, as well as their geographical coordinates. The experts also found out that the tools for operating the cameras are also accessible to anyone via the Internet and can be reprogrammed via wireless channels.
"In some cities, speed cameras monitor individual lanes - a feature that can be easily disabled. So if an attacker wants to disable a system in a certain place for some time, it's possible," said Vladimir Dashchenko, a security expert at Kaspersky. "Considering that these cameras are also used for security and law enforcement, it's easy to imagine that such vulnerabilities can be abused for crimes such as car theft. It is therefore urgent to protect such networks - especially from direct access via the Web."
79% of the German for traffic control systems
Germans' attitudes toward the benefits of the smart city and digital future are divided, as shown by a recent Kaspersky.Survey shows [2]. Thus, 79% of the German users surveyed perceive systems for controlling road traffic by sensors and intelligent guidance systems as positive. However, when it comes to surveillance by cameras for safety in cities, this is only rated as positive by 46% of Germans and as negative by 42%.
In general, the skepticism that exists in Germany about the increasingly digital future seems to be related to the issues of cybersecurity and data protection. According to the survey, more than half (56%) of the Germans questioned believe that their digital life of the future will become more insecure; 69% also think that it will make them transparent. In contrast, 19% claim that their digital life will become more secure and 18% that digital life will create openness and transparency.
Smart city gaps and security measures
Within the Kaspersky study "How to trick smart cities", the security of terminals for ticket booking, for rental bicycles, in public authorities as well as at airports was also examined.
