GIS and Cybersecurity

08 Jun GIS and Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a growing concern for government entities. As the world becomes more digital, securing information online becomes a necessity. GIS and cybersecurity applied together, can benefit almost any organization.

There have been more and more cyber-attacks in the past few months, than in the past few years. These attacks are happening more frequently, reaching higher profiles, and becoming bigger threats. An example of these threats can be seen with the recent attack on the Colonial Pipeline or the JBS’s beef plants’ cyber-attack. With cryptocurrency on the rise and more of life being moved to the cloud, it is becoming a necessity to protect oneself online. Fortunately, there are many ways to implement cybersecurity. When applied together, GIS and cybersecurity can benefit data networks and protect essential infrastructure.

Location Intelligence Enhances Cybersecurity

GIS and spatial analytics can allow experts to pinpoint where cyberattacks are coming from and predict future attacks. In other words, these security experts are mapping cybersecurity threats.  

Infrastructure data, such as a digital twin of a country’s electrical grid, can provide a map of the digital network and show where connections are made. This data can allow security specialists to see where attacks could be imminent.

In 2014, German cybersecurity experts utilized GIS to pinpoint geographic patterns and predict attacks. German Armed Forces, LTC Volker Kolzok, stated “You need the cyber intelligence expert working in close cooperation with the geoexpert to find the best solution and visualization.”

If cybersecurity experts are able to determine a pattern to cyber-attacks, predict where the cyber-attacks are to take place, and use this location intelligence to make recommendations to enhance cybersecurity, then GIS and cybersecurity can be essential when applied together.

Blockchain, GIS, and Cybersecurity

Blockchain technology allows for decentralized data. This technology can simultaneously update and share a specific block of data in an encrypted secure environment. Blockchain application has become more popular with use cases such as cryptocurrency. Also, blockchain has been applied within spatial technologies for monitoring Earth observation and satellite communications.

Decentralizing, updating, and transferring data in a protected environment allows for more secure databases.  “By distributing the data, in real-time and enabling data to communicate as they change, organizations can stay better protected so that if one part of the system is made inoperable or some of the data are tampered, the overall system can still function because critical data would be distributed to multiple parts of the system.”

Protecting Crucial Infrastructure

Cybersecurity is essential to ensure that crucial infrastructure continues to operate accurately in a globally connected world. In 2018, the US Department of Energy expressed that electrical power systems have become reliant on internet connectivity. “The DOE warned that, without proactive steps to address vulnerabilities in the power grid, compromised systems could prove disastrous for communities.” The electrical grid, the water supply, and other types of infrastructure all need to be secure from cyber-attacks to protect the general population.

The digital world relies on cybersecurity to safeguard personal information, business data, and government operations. Ensuring our crucial infrastructure continues to function, applying advanced technologies such as blockchain, and adopting location intelligence can all ensure higher protection when applied with GIS and cybersecurity.

To learn more about GIS and access essential infrastructure data, contact the experts at GeoTel today!

Written by: Valerie Stephen with the Experts at GeoTel