Impact of Critical Infrastructure Cyber Security on the Sustainable Development of Smart Cities: Insights from Internal Specialists and External Information Security Auditors

This study aims to describe and assess the impact of critical infrastructure (CI) cybersecurity issues on the sustainable development of smart cities. This study highlights the integration of PayTech systems into the broader CI landscape, highlighting their impact on maintaining economic stability and ensuring the smooth operation of city services. Key companies within smart regions, particularly those operating in the payment industries, are essential to maintaining the functionality of critical services. These companies facilitate the processing of services provided to citizens, enabling access to vital municipal services. As key players in the PayTech and online e-commerce sectors, they form a crucial part of modern critical infrastructure, operating within an ever-evolving digital environment. This study examines the recovery processes employed after cyberattacks, focusing on the differing perspectives of internal and external professionals. It identifies significant differences in the perceptions of recovery strategies among internal stakeholders, such as investor relations (IR) teams, reputation management (RM) experts, and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), who represent critical infrastructure companies. Additionally, it explores the roles of external auditors, who provide impartial emergency support and perform specialized recovery tasks. Importantly, this study underscores the current attitudes toward future information security strategies and their influence on the financial recovery and reputation of reliable companies following cyber incidents. This research contributes to the existing knowledge by shedding light on the perspectives of both a company’s internal and external specialists involved in the recovery process and cyber resilience strategies in critical infrastructure sectors.