An Emerging US (and World) Threat: Cities Wide Open to Cyber Attacks
Cesar Cerrudo (@cesarcer) Chief Technology Officer, IOActive Labs (2015)
Abstract
Cities around the world are becoming increasingly smart, which creates huge attack surfaces for potential cyber attacks. In this paper, IOActive Labs CTO Cesar Cerrudo provides an overview of current cyber security problems affecting cities as well real threats and possible cyber attacks that could have a huge impact on cities. Cities must take defensive steps now, and Cesar offers recommendations to help them get started.
Excerpt
Smart Grid Energy is the life line of a city; without energy there is no smart city. Last year, researchers Alberto Garcia Illera and Javier Vazquez Vidal at Black Hat Europe demonstrated it was possible to black out big city areas by manipulating smart meters exploiting encryption problems in Power-line Communication (PLC) technologies.
This is not new; years ago Mike Davis of IOActive created the first proof-of-concept worm for the smart grid. Attacks on a smart grid could be devastating, causing millions of dollars in losses and even loss of life.
The Smart or Not so Smart Grid and the Risk of Cyber Attacks
In my State in Australia, they installed smart meters, which were compulsory. Other States had the choice. I became sick two weeks after installed (2013) and have been sick ever since. I was not sick when I went overseas for three months, three times, but became sick when I got back home. I had the smart meter moved away from the house (45 metres) and was fine for four months, but then got sick again. I now think the radiation is in my body and I have to get rid of it.