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Smart Cities Secured: Utilizing AI Firewalls for Sustainable Urban Environments

By:
Open Access
|Sep 2025

Figures & Tables

Figure 1:

Smart cities secure: utilizing AI firewall for sustainable urban environments. AI, artificial intelligence.
Smart cities secure: utilizing AI firewall for sustainable urban environments. AI, artificial intelligence.

Figure 2:

Implementing an AI firewall in smart cities. AI, artificial intelligence.
Implementing an AI firewall in smart cities. AI, artificial intelligence.

Figure 3:

Performance metrics of AI firewall in smart cities. AI, artificial intelligence.
Performance metrics of AI firewall in smart cities. AI, artificial intelligence.

Figure 4:

AI-driven firewall for secure and sustainable digital cities. AI, artificial intelligence.
AI-driven firewall for secure and sustainable digital cities. AI, artificial intelligence.

Figure 5:

Comparative analysis of AI firewall functionalities. AI, artificial intelligence.
Comparative analysis of AI firewall functionalities. AI, artificial intelligence.

Figure 6:

Core elements in building sustainable smart cities.
Core elements in building sustainable smart cities.

Comparative table

ReferenceKey findingsAdvantagesDisadvantagesAccuracy (%)Remarks
Smith et al. (2020)AI-driven firewalls system improves anomaly detection in smart networksReal-time threat detectionExcessive cost of implementation92Effective but expensive solution for the large cities’ landscape
Chen and Huang (2021)AI firewall system reduces energy wastage in IoT networks by optimizing data flowsEnergy-efficientScalability concerns89Suitable for small-scale real-time applications
Gupta and Kumar (2021)Highlighted the data privacy risks involved with AI firewallsAdvanced threat preventionPotential data privacy issues88Essential for data-sensitive cities
Lee et al. (2021)Compared the intelligence firewalls with traditional classical firewalls in smart transportation systemsImproved adaptabilityComplexity in implementation94Highly adaptable for transport networks
Al-Sharif et al. (2021)AI firewalls enhance response times for cyber threats in public reliance networksFaster threat responseRequires skilled maintenance personnel90Effective critical response systems
Patel and Sinha (2022)AI-based firewall system protects against DDoS attacks in smart health care systemsReduces downtimeHigh initial investment93Vital for health care infrastructure
Wang et al. (2022)Examined energy consumption of AI-driven firewalls in environmental monitoringEnergy-efficientLimited to specific data types87Ideal for IoT environmental applications
Singh and Zhang (2022)AI firewall system improves security and data accuracy in autonomous vehiclesHigh detection accuracyCostly hardware requirements95Promising autonomous systems in smart cities
Rahman and Ali (2022)AI-driven predictive analytics for identifying vulnerable points in smart city landscapesProactive threat mitigationLimited scalability90Great for proactive city cyber defense
Martin and Lee (2023)AI firewalls enhance the scalability of security solutions in urban infrastructuresScalable across networksHigh computational needs92Useful for large urban areas
Gomez et al. (2023)Evaluated the impact of AI firewall systems on protecting public IoT devices in parks and public spacesEnhanced protectionFrequent updates needed88Suitable for public IoT devices
Lee and Nakamura (2023)Analyzed the adaptability of AI-driven firewalls in urban traffic systemsReal-time adaptabilityExpensive maintenance91Effective for adaptive traffic control
Hussein and Omar (2023)AI firewalls contribute to low energy consumption in smart grids, enhancing sustainabilityEnergy-efficientMay affect data latency89Best for smart energy networks
Malik and Rahim (2023)Highlighted data privacy concerns when using AI-driven firewalls for citizen informationSecures personal dataData privacy challenges87Vital for privacy-focused cities
Brown et al. (2023)Examined the effectiveness of the AI firewall system in secure public safety communicationsEnhanced data protectionHigh technical expertise required94Essential for emergency response
Hassan et al. (2024)Presented AI firewalls reduce cyberattack risks in smart city waste management systemsReduces operational disruptionPotential excessive cost90Ideal for waste management
Lee and Chen (2024)Evaluated integration challenges of the AI firewall system across heterogeneous IoT devices in smart citiesHigh compatibilityIntegration complexities86Requires standardization for broader use
Xu and Park (2024)Compared AI firewall response time to traditional systems in managing cyberattacks on energy systemsFaster response timeLimited to specific devices93Promising energy infrastructure
Jung and Lee (2024)Discussed self-learning AI-driven firewalls that autonomously adapt to new cyber threats in real-timeHigh adaptabilityRequires continuous data updates96Effective in constantly evolving networks
Chen et al. (2024)Reviewed AI-driven firewall applications in managing secure data flow in transportation systems, highlighting its impact on reducing energy and data processing costsCost-effectiveHigh installation cost92Ideal for energy-efficient transport systems

Comparative study of related works and current research on AI firewalls for smart cities

AspectPrevious workCurrent work (smart cities secured)Research gaps addressed
FocusEmphasized the vulnerabilities of IoT devices and traditional classical firewalls in smart cities (Zhu et al., 2021; Patel & Sinha, 2022)It explores AI-driven firewall systems as adaptive and robust solutions for cybersecurity in smart citiesBy highlighting the transformative role of AI firewall systems in combating evolving cyber threats
Technological approachInvestigated traditional classical firewalls and initial machine-learning models for anomaly detection (Chen et al., 2024)Introduces advanced AI algorithms, such as self-learning and predictive analytics, for real-time threat managementDemonstrates how advanced AI capabilities are superior to traditional methods in smart city applications
Cybersecurity challengesPrioritizing individual vulnerabilities in IoT systems without a comprehensive framework (Yin et al., 2020)Provides a comprehensive approach to addressing interconnected vulnerabilities across different smart city servicesIntegrates fragmented insights into an integrated AI powered cybersecurity approach
Sustainability impactLimited focus on the cybersecurity and sustainability relationship (Hassan et al., 2024)Connects robust cybersecurity measures with sustainable urban development objectives, utilizing efficient energy utilizationExpands the discussion to include the distinct advantages of security and environmental sustainability
Implementation challengesHighlighted excessive cost and data privacy concerns as obstacles to adoption (Malik & Rahim, 2023)Discusses solutions such as federated learning and edge AI-driven firewalls to overcome cost, scalability, and privacy concernsProvides innovative approaches to tackle financial and technical issues
Future trendsScalability and interoperability were identified as emerging cyber issues but provided limited solutions (Lee & Chen, 2024)It explores emerging trends such as XAI and edge computing for improved scalability and transparencyCreates effective strategies for future research and real-world implementation

AI firewall metrics for smart city security and efficiency

MetricExample dataDescriptionData source
Detection accuracy97.5%–98%AI firewall systems have shown high detection precision in identifying cyber threats in real-time systems, including DDoS attacks and unusual traffic patternsLondon AI-driven security system pilot project
Response time<1 s (0.8 s)The response time of AI firewalls to eliminate and eliminate threats is extremely rapid, ensuring minimal impact from cyberattacksNew York City smart city utility environment
Energy efficiency30% reduction in energy consumptionAI-driven firewalls optimize energy utilization by adjusting resources during low-risk periods, eliminating the energy consumption of monitoring systems without compromising securityNew York City data Centre energy optimization case study
Proactive threat detection35% improvement in cybersecurity posture, detecting cyber threats two weeks in advanceAI-driven firewalls utilize ML models to predict vulnerabilities and detect cyber threats proactively, allowing cities to mitigate potential risksSingapore predictive anomaly detection system
Cost efficiency25% reduction in cybersecurity-related costs over the first yearAI firewalls reduce cybersecurity costs, including service downtime and manual intervention, leading to greater cost-effectivenessBarcelona Smart City Initiative Scheme
Scalability and adaptability500,000+ devices covered without performance degradationThe AI firewall systems’ ability to scale encompasses many devices across various urban areas, maintaining consistent performance and reliabilitySingapore smart city network scalability tests

Traditional firewalls vs AI firewalls

FeatureTraditional firewallsAI firewalls
Threat detectionRelies on predefined rules and signaturesUses ML and DL algorithms to detect new and unknown threats based on data patterns
AdaptabilityStatic rules require manual updates for new threatsContinuously learn and adapt to evolving threats
Real-time responseLimited real-time capabilitiesCan autonomously detect and mitigate threats in real-time
ScalabilityMay struggle with large, dynamic IoT environmentsScalable; adapts seamlessly as new IoT devices are integrated into the network
Response speedSlower response time; human intervention is often requiredInstant response with minimal human intervention
Anomaly detectionLimited to known attack signaturesDetects new anomalies and behavioral changes in real-time
Resource efficiencyMay cause delay due to rule-based operationsOptimized for resource efficiency, using ML to process data efficiently
Deployment complexityIt is easier to deploy but requires regular manual updatesIt is more complex to deploy but provides automated and long-term security benefits
Language: English
Submitted on: Nov 11, 2024
Published on: Sep 8, 2025
Published by: Professor Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2025 V Asha, S Kanaga Suba Raja, published by Professor Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.