Smart cities are transforming urban life—optimizing traffic, reducing energy waste, and enabling real-time governance through connected sensors and IoT networks. Yet, beneath this digital brilliance lies a growing cyber battlefield. Every sensor, camera, and connected light post represents a potential entry point for attackers.

Recent incidents, from traffic light hijacks to ransomware targeting public utilities, reveal the fragility of citywide digital ecosystems. Many municipal systems rely on outdated firmware and weak authentication, making them ideal targets for disruption or espionage.

The complexity of smart cities magnifies their risk. A compromise in a seemingly minor IoT device could cascade across transportation, emergency services, or power grids. The consequences go beyond data theft—they threaten physical safety and public trust.

Securing smart cities demands a shift toward Zero Trust architectures, strict device identity management, and collaboration between public and private sectors. As cities grow smarter, they must also grow safer—because in the cyber age, even streetlights can be hacked.