From New York City to London, smart cities are cropping up around the globe. In these urban hubs, technology is incorporated into everyday systems to increase efficiency and improve the experience of both citizens and visitors.
From EV charging stations to intelligent light sensors in public restrooms, smart cities are championing the use of clever tech in public spaces.
This includes within transit systems, where contactless transit payments and digital fares are increasingly expected. But as these technologies become more ingrained in everyday life, the security that keeps them safe and builds trust becomes more important than ever.
What are transportation payment systems?
Transportation payment systems are the payment methods travelers can use to access buses, trains, trams, and other public transportation systems. When looking at the future of smart cities, these payment systems are increasingly digital.
Most smart cities enable contactless transit payments, in which users tap their contactless card or digital wallet. This can be used to purchase a physical or digital ticket or to access the station gate. At the end station, they'll tap the same card or digital wallet to open the gate again, and the system will calculate the payment for their journey.
Why secure transit payments matter
Transit payments are, at their core, financial transactions. This means they need to comply with the rigorous cybersecurity and risk standards expected in the financial industry. Ensuring robust protection is essential for safeguarding data and preventing fraud.
It's also vital for building trust in smart cities. A global survey found that distrust in how tech companies handle and secure personal data is on the rise, creeping up from 46% to 48% in a single year.
But, for smart cities to work, there needs to be mass buy-in from the people who live and work in these tech-driven spaces. That means systems like transit payments must prioritize security to prove their commitment to personal data protection.
Aside from fraud and trust, smart cities also need to prevent breaches to keep systems up and running. A single cyberattack on a city-wide transit payment system could bring public transport to a halt, causing widespread disruption and the potential for chaos.
Crucial cybersecurity for transit payments
From cybersecurity professionals to city planners, the good news is that you can implement watertight security for your transit payment systems.
We've put together some critical cybersecurity controls that we expect to become staples within the smart cities of the future.
Data encryption
Encryption is the foundation of secure digital payments. This scrambles personal data, like the details of the cardholder, into unreadable code and ensures that even if a breach does occur, the data can't be read by attackers.
For transit systems, both end-to-end encryption (protecting data in motion) and encryption at rest (protecting stored data) are essential. It prevents breaches, data cloning, and manipulation of fare transactions for a level of safety that builds trust.
Tokenization payments
Similar to encryption, tokenization replaces user details with unique "tokens." This can be decrypted with a key and is frequently used for data at rest, while encryption is more common for data in transit.
In the context of secure payments, tokenization means that each contactless payment transmits a secure, one-time identifier rather than the passenger’s actual information. Even if compromised, the data remains completely useless to attackers, and passenger data is kept safe while using public transport.
PCI DSS compliance
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is the global benchmark for handling cardholder information securely and preventing stolen data. For transit agencies, achieving and maintaining PCI DSS compliance is a requirement that, if unmet, can result in fines and penalties. It also demonstrates your robust security system, which should include:
- Firewalls
- Restricted access
- Vulnerability scans
In smart cities, PCI DSS compliance needs to be a focus throughout supply chains. This means that your payment processors, tech providers, and all other third-party vendors comply with the same standards, too.
By aligning with PCI DSS, transit operators not only protect customer data but also reduce liability in case of breaches.
Continuous monitoring and incident reports
The main issue with security in smart cities? Cyberthreats are constantly evolving. That's why payment systems need continuous monitoring, with real-time surveillance to spot anomalies and unauthorized access attempts. If any potential issues are spotted, they'll be flagged straight away for immediate action.
Monitoring should be consistent across all potential points of entry, including payment terminals, apps, and backend payment processing.
Smart cities also need to implement transparent incident reporting. This strengthens accountability and reassures citizens that their data is being actively protected.
Regular audits and testing
When developing smart cities, reducing the chances of payment security breaches should involve pinpointing flaws before attackers do. This involves thorough testing and auditing.
Third-party professional hackers are a great solution. These teams are experts at breaking into secure systems and will look for every weak spot or point of entry in your payment security. If they manage to breach your data protection protocols, they'll highlight exactly how and help you tighten your security so that actual hackers can't do the same.
Boosting public confidence in smart transit
Public confidence in secure transit payment systems depends on both reliability and perceived safety.
Once you've established secure transit payment systems, make sure information on your cybersecurity is readily available (though without including details that could help hackers, of course). Clear communication around how the city is maintaining PCI DSS compliance and real-time monitoring reassures citizens that their data is in good hands.
This transparency helps foster smart payment adoption and encourages more people to hop on board public transport. For efficient, inclusive, and safe cities, both cybersecurity protocols and the right messaging play an important role.
Final thoughts
When building smart cities and implementing digital transit payment systems, cybersecurity is essential for building trust. It goes deeper than this, though, with a vital need for security to protect against external threats. Every city around the world should be taking the protection of personal data seriously, including the financial information processed through public transport systems.
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