Assessment of Cybersecurity Risks in Digital Twin Deployments in Smart Cities

Abstract

Digital Twin (DT) technology has become a cornerstone of modern smart city infrastructure, providing real-time insights and operational efficiencies by creating a virtual replica of physical systems such as traffic networks, energy grids, and public services. While these advancements enable optimized urban management and improved decision-making, they also present new cybersecurity challenges that can potentially jeopardize the safety and reliability of critical infrastructures. This study addresses the cybersecurity risks associated with Digital Twin deployments in smart cities, focusing on threats such as unauthorized access, data manipulation, and hijacking of the DT models, which could result in service disruptions and compromise public safety. The research employs a comprehensive risk assessment methodology based on the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, where potential risks are identified, evaluated, and prioritized according to their severity and likelihood of occurrence. To mitigate these risks, a multi-layered security framework was developed, incorporating encryption mechanisms, robust access control, and an Artificial Immune System (AIS)-based anomaly detection model. The framework was tested through a simulated case study on a smart transportation system within a smart city environment, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing data tampering and detecting unauthorized access. The results indicate that the proposed security model reduced data manipulation incidents by 35%, decreased response times for threat detection by 25%, and improved overall system resilience by 40%. These findings underscore the critical need for proactive cybersecurity strategies in ensuring the secure and resilient deployment of Digital Twin technologies in smart cities. The study concludes by emphasizing the importance of continuous security monitoring and adaptive threat management to safeguard smart city ecosystems from evolving cyber threats