Cyber-Kinetic Security

The book explores intricate interconnectedness of the cyber and physical worlds. As our interactions with physical objects increasingly rely on embedded computational systems, we unlock capabilities that surpass even the most ambitious predictions of past futurists. However, this fusion also introduces profound vulnerabilities.

The book describes in detail over 40 real-life cyber-kinetic incidents – cybersecurity incidents that resulted in injuries or fatalities. The book explores the potential threats of our cyber-connected world, reevaluates our current cybersecurity approaches, and offers strategies for risk reduction and mitigation in the face of cyber-kinetic attacks.

Completed in 2017, “Cyber-Kinetic Security” by Marin Ivezic was withdrawn from publication due to organizations impacted by the incidents mentioned in the book retracted their initial approval, choosing to keep the the incidents confidential.

While complying with the request, I firmly believe that keeping such information hidden is not beneficial. Sharing anonymized details of real-life incidents is crucial for raising awareness and imparting lessons learned. This can help other organizations prevent similar attacks.

Articles that follow are adapted from non-controversial book chapters.

Cyber-Kinetic Security, IoT Security, OT Security

The World of Cyber-Physical Systems & Rising Cyber-Kinetic Risks

We live in a world in which the way we observe and control it is radically changing. Increasingly, we interact with physical objects through the filter of what computational systems embedded in them tell us, and we adjust them based on what those systems relate. We do this on our ...

History of Cyber-Kinetic Incidents and Research

The fact that cyber-kinetic attacks rarely appear on mainstream news doesn’t mean they don’t happen. They happen more frequently than you would think. Many, for various reasons, aren’t even reported to agencies charged with combatting them. This hinders security experts in understanding the full scope and recognizing the trends in ...

Stuxnet and the Birth of Cyber-Kinetic Weapons

Stuxnet was the first true cyber-kinetic weapon, designed to cripple the Iranian – and perhaps also the North Korean – nuclear weapon programs. It succeeded in slowing the Iranian program, although it was discovered before it could deal the program a fatal blow. Its significance goes far beyond what it ...

Navigating a Safe Course Through Maritime Cyberattacks

The open seas have long attracted those who yearned for adventure. The risk of pitting oneself against a vast and unforgiving sea has tested sailors’ mettle for millennia. It’s not surprising that the maritime industry is one that thrives on facing – and overcoming – risks. But, as technology increasingly ...

Growing Cyber-Kinetic Vulnerabilities of Railway Systems

In their growing efforts to increase efficiencies through digitization and automation, railways are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyber-kinetic attacks as they move away from strictly mechanical systems and bespoke standalone systems to digital, open-platform, standardized equipment built using Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) components. In addition, the increasing use of ...

IEMI – Threat of Intentional Electromagnetic Interference

As our cities, our transportation, our energy and manufacturing – our everything – increasingly embrace Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Controls Systems (ICS), securing its underlying cyber-physical systems (CPS) grows ever more crucial. Yet, even among engineers and cybersecurity specialists, one potential attack trajectory is often overlooked: Intentional Electromagnetic ...