The Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) has published a new guide to help councils keep ‘smart cities’ safe from cyber threats.
Connected places – or ‘smart cities’ – are communities that integrate information and communication technologies to help deliver key public services such as transportation, utilities and wider infrastructure.
Large amounts of data are collected in the creation of these connected places, which means they are targets for hostile actors.
The Secure Connected Places: Cyber Security Playbook, developed in collaboration with a group of local authorities, provides practical cyber security support to councils.
Minister for cyber, AI, and intellectual property, Viscount Camrose, said: ‘Connected places offer enormous benefits for the entire country, not just through improved public services for our communities, but through new innovations which will unlock better-paid jobs and grow our economy.
‘We are already world leaders in cyber security, as demonstrated by through pioneering measures such as the Product Security Regime. It’s vital that this expertise carries over to the development of our connected places.
‘This Playbook will help do exactly that – offering practical and accessible support to local authorities as we work collaboratively to grow secure and sustainable connected places across the UK.’
