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Smart Cities Cyber Security

PIs: Prof. Dr. Tali Hatuka, Tel Aviv University

      Dr. Eran Toch, engineering; Prof. Michael Birnhack, Law School; Prof. Issi Rosen-Zvi, Law 

      School

Project Coordinator: Hadas Zur

Cities are rapidly becoming smarter, using advanced technology to gather, process, and utilize data about residents and infrastructure. However, there's limited guidance on deploying these systems. This research assumes that Smart Cities are inevitable, Information Systems are their backbone, and cities are new to this cyber reality. Therefore, focusing on Smart Cities Cyber Security (SCCS) is vital for their safety, functionality, democracy, and livability. The challenge is to leverage Big Data's benefits while avoiding privacy and security risks. Key questions include: what are the cyber aspects and vulnerabilities of Smart Cities, what tools can municipalities use to address SCCS challenges, how might the transition affect legal and political structures, and how can cities prevent cyber-attacks and protect data and privacy? This project explores SCCS across planning, technology, social policy, local law, and privacy law, using diverse methods to create a multi-faceted toolkit for designing SCCS. Based on theoretical and empirical studies, especially in Israeli cities leading in smart city development, the focus is on four core dimensions: planning, technology, governance, and privacy. The research will develop policy tools for decision-makers and an integrative model to guide comprehensive policies, tailored to each city's needs, and support technologies that ensure privacy and security.

For further reading:

Hatuka, T., Toch, E., Birnhack, M., & Zur, H. (2018/2020). The digital city: Planning, technology, privacy and inequality, submitted to the Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center [Hebrew and English].

Hatuka, T., & Zur, H. (2020). Who is the “smart” resident in the digital age? The varied profiles of users and non-users in the contemporary city. Urban Studies, 57(6):1260-1283. (Q1, IF: 4.6).

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0042098019835690

Hatuka, T., & Zur, H. (2020). From smart cities to smart social urbanism: The role of urban context and society in the digital age. Telematics and Informatics Special issue: Smart Urbanism, 55, (Q1, IF: 9.14). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2020.101430

Support for this project was provided by the ICRC – Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center.

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