Abstract:
The world population growth combined with the unprecedented levels of urban density is posing serious challenges for the future of our cities which demand an efficient, effective, and sustainable management of urban infrastructures and resource consumption. Through the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT), the smart city is identified as a ‘system-of-systems’ created to process real-time information exchange at a large-scale and consequently distribute a better life quality to its citizens. Grounded in learning capability and cross-domain interoperability, the embedded Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure represents a high-value attack platform and thus its adoption should be carefully weighed up against the cyber risk exposure. The main objective of this research is to explore the inner workings of a such complex ecosystem and understand the criticalities of the cyber-security requirements.
Since the smart home market represents a fundamental component of a smart city and the most promising application of IoT technology, an accurate investigation is carried out. Defining the smart home as an intertwined advanced automated system which provide the inhabitants remote access and centralized control over the building’s functions, the role played by the advancement of IoT technology is crucial. A multi-layer architectural model is presented in order to grasp the logical conditions underlying the intelligence-driven networks. Installed under the guise of customer service, surveillance facility and remote monitoring are responsible for the potential abuse of data retrieved and thus the failure of safety and security solutions. In response, a cyber-physical vulnerability assessment is conducted and evaluated into a threat-based Defence approach.
The scope of this thesis is the identification and formulation of a safe and secure human-machine space, associating proper countermeasures to prevent data leakages and mitigate damages. Although this analysis tries to be exhaustive in all its part, the major focus is on cyber-security concern as it represents a significant barrier to smart systems adoption and all stakeholders should take it seriously. Neglecting the current cyber-security vulnerabilities and underestimate the impact of a cyber intrusion may reveal cascading disasters across the entire smart industry.
