petrochemical and nuclear power generating stations – regularly automated and
controlled by computer systems – can be turned into chemical or nuclear weapons
by cyber-attacks which might not only cause critical system shutdowns but also toxic
chemical and radiological releases leading to mass casualties. International Business
Times reported about hackers changing the amounts of chemicals utilized to purify
tap water through a cyber-attack on the obsolete IT network of a water treatment
station, using the web-based billing system to enter the company’s web server (Hill
2016). Although the changes could be reversed before customers were affected, this
highlights the strong impact of cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure like water
systems (Hill 2016).
An electromagnetic pulse device (EMP) or weapon system (E-bomb) can generate an energy pulse capable of disrupting a myriad of electrical and electronic
systems including vehicle ignition systems, computers, cell phones, and public
utility power supplies. The EMP of a nuclear detonation can radiate throughout
long distances, particularly when the detonation occurs as an air burst. Worst case
scenarios might involve simultaneous attacks on the systems of health care, public
health assets, and public safety by computer viral, denial-of-service, and/or EMP
attacks crippling or entirely eliminating the emergency response capabilities of
entire communities (Rando 2014). Even resilient and sophisticated IT firewalls as
part of national defense assets have been penetrated and affected by several cyberattacks from both foreign governments and private individuals (Rando 2014). While
the Fukushima disaster was supposed to be an accident, Fukushima may actually
have been destroyed by the Stuxnet virus in combination with nuclear weapons as
suspected by some due to a number of indicators for a targeted attack, also taking
into consideration that “. . .Fukushima Diiachi was an extremely well-run nuclear
facility with everything in top notch condition” (Metzger 2011; Rothkopf
2011; Stone and Jacobs 2014; Kentisch 2016).
Directed-energy weapons (DEW) including microwave radiation emitters, particle beam generators, and lasers can produce profound physiological and neuropsychological effects on targeted populations. Focused microwave energy weapons
and laser-type systems can heat and destroy living tissue. Lasers can inflict blinding
injuries. Human health effects by high-power microwaves (HPMs) include disruption of physiological mechanisms, thermal injuries, and profound psychological
effects, as well as acute fear and panic reactions (Rando 2014).
Every city should have emergency systems at place to be able to react in a timely
and efficient manner to CBRNE attacks (Battelle 2018a, b; National Envoronmental
Trainers 2018). Many private companies are offering products and services for the
detection of CBRNE and CBRNE crisis management (Milipol 2017).
As pyro-terrorists of the future are supposed to do targeted attacks on cities by
arson to terrorize noncombatants and to blackmail governments as already predicted
by military experts since 2005, efficient firefighting tools, above all a sufficient
number of firefighting drones, are especially important to avoid mass fatalities in
densely populated Smart Cities (Baird 2005; Tandon 2018).
Other security risks concern potential conflicts between city dwellers from
different cultures, ethnicities, religions, social layers, political directions, and
13 The Role of Smart Cities for the Realization of. . .
235
controlled by computer systems – can be turned into chemical or nuclear weapons
by cyber-attacks which might not only cause critical system shutdowns but also toxic
chemical and radiological releases leading to mass casualties. International Business
Times reported about hackers changing the amounts of chemicals utilized to purify
tap water through a cyber-attack on the obsolete IT network of a water treatment
station, using the web-based billing system to enter the company’s web server (Hill
2016). Although the changes could be reversed before customers were affected, this
highlights the strong impact of cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure like water
systems (Hill 2016).
An electromagnetic pulse device (EMP) or weapon system (E-bomb) can generate an energy pulse capable of disrupting a myriad of electrical and electronic
systems including vehicle ignition systems, computers, cell phones, and public
utility power supplies. The EMP of a nuclear detonation can radiate throughout
long distances, particularly when the detonation occurs as an air burst. Worst case
scenarios might involve simultaneous attacks on the systems of health care, public
health assets, and public safety by computer viral, denial-of-service, and/or EMP
attacks crippling or entirely eliminating the emergency response capabilities of
entire communities (Rando 2014). Even resilient and sophisticated IT firewalls as
part of national defense assets have been penetrated and affected by several cyberattacks from both foreign governments and private individuals (Rando 2014). While
the Fukushima disaster was supposed to be an accident, Fukushima may actually
have been destroyed by the Stuxnet virus in combination with nuclear weapons as
suspected by some due to a number of indicators for a targeted attack, also taking
into consideration that “. . .Fukushima Diiachi was an extremely well-run nuclear
facility with everything in top notch condition” (Metzger 2011; Rothkopf
2011; Stone and Jacobs 2014; Kentisch 2016).
Directed-energy weapons (DEW) including microwave radiation emitters, particle beam generators, and lasers can produce profound physiological and neuropsychological effects on targeted populations. Focused microwave energy weapons
and laser-type systems can heat and destroy living tissue. Lasers can inflict blinding
injuries. Human health effects by high-power microwaves (HPMs) include disruption of physiological mechanisms, thermal injuries, and profound psychological
effects, as well as acute fear and panic reactions (Rando 2014).
Every city should have emergency systems at place to be able to react in a timely
and efficient manner to CBRNE attacks (Battelle 2018a, b; National Envoronmental
Trainers 2018). Many private companies are offering products and services for the
detection of CBRNE and CBRNE crisis management (Milipol 2017).
As pyro-terrorists of the future are supposed to do targeted attacks on cities by
arson to terrorize noncombatants and to blackmail governments as already predicted
by military experts since 2005, efficient firefighting tools, above all a sufficient
number of firefighting drones, are especially important to avoid mass fatalities in
densely populated Smart Cities (Baird 2005; Tandon 2018).
Other security risks concern potential conflicts between city dwellers from
different cultures, ethnicities, religions, social layers, political directions, and
13 The Role of Smart Cities for the Realization of. . .
235