Why Zero Trust Is Public Safety’s Only Defense Against Modern Threats
For decades, public safety systems relied on a simple philosophy: build a strong perimeter and trust everything inside it. Firewalls, on-premise servers, and local networks created the illusion of safety. This was the “castle and moat” approach to cybersecurity.
That model has collapsed. Attackers have learned to slip past walls through phishing emails, compromised credentials, and insider threats. Once inside, they move laterally with little resistance. The result is all too familiar: ransomware attacks that lock down call centers, stolen data that jeopardizes community trust, and outages that leave 911 calls unanswered.
Today’s threat landscape demands a different approach. For Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), Zero Trust is the only strategy that matches the sophistication of modern attackers.
The Castle-and-Moat Problem
Legacy systems were designed around the idea that the network perimeter was defensible. Keep the bad actors out, and everything inside could be trusted. In practice, this created a dangerous weakness. If attackers breached the perimeter, they had freedom to move through systems with minimal obstacles.
This approach was never designed for today’s environment. Call centers connect to state databases, cloud services, and mobile devices. Staff members work across shifts, sometimes remotely. Data flows across jurisdictions and agencies. The perimeter is porous by design.
Modern attackers exploit this reality. Spear-phishing campaigns trick staff into giving up credentials. Malware spreads through connected systems. Insiders misuse legitimate access. Once the moat is crossed, the castle is exposed.
Carbyne: A 2025 NCSAM Champion
Carbyne is proud to be a 2025 National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) Champion. This designation reflects our commitment to advancing cybersecurity awareness and resilience in public safety. As a Champion, we stand alongside national leaders in promoting secure-by-design technology and building collective resilience across communities.
What Zero Trust Really Means
Zero Trust changes the rules. It assumes no user, device, or connection should ever be trusted by default. Every request must be verified continuously, no matter where it originates.
The core principles include:
- Least Privilege: Users only receive the minimum access required for their role.
- Continuous Verification: Every connection is authenticated and authorized in real time.
- Micro-Segmentation: Systems are divided into secure zones to prevent attackers from moving laterally.
- Data Protection: Encryption is enforced both in transit and at rest.
For public safety leaders, the concept is straightforward. Zero Trust principles support a strategy that if attackers breach one area, they cannot roam freely. Every movement requires re-verification, making it harder for adversaries to gain control or exfiltrate data.
Why Public Safety Needs Zero Trust Now
Public safety agencies are prime targets for cybercriminals. According to Carbyne’s research, more than 280 cyberattacks hit local governments and public safety agencies in just two years. The reason is simple: 911 cannot afford downtime, which makes it an attractive leverage point for attackers.
The consequences go beyond lost data. A denial-of-service attack can make calls unanswerable. Ransomware can shut down dispatch operations. Insider misuse can expose sensitive medical or location data. Communities expect 911 to work under all conditions, yet legacy security models leave centers exposed to single points of failure.
Zero Trust directly addresses these risks. By treating every connection as potentially hostile, it closes the gaps that attackers exploit. For ECCs and PSAPs, this means resilience even in the face of compromised credentials, misconfigured systems, or malicious insiders.
Carbyne’s Zero Trust Advantage
Carbyne has built Zero Trust into the foundation of its platform. Unlike legacy vendors who bolt on new controls, Carbyne designed its architecture around continuous verification from the start.
Key elements include:
- Identity-Centric Access: Role-based permissions with strict authentication for every user.
- Real-Time Monitoring: Continuous validation of sessions, devices, and data flows.
- Redundancy and Resilience: Multi-region active-active design keeps operations going, even if one environment is compromised.
- End-to-End Encryption: Protecting sensitive call and location data from interception or unauthorized access.
- Regular Testing: Independent audits and penetration testing confirm that protections remain strong.
This approach creates a layered defense that aligns with both NIST cybersecurity frameworks and the operational realities of 911.
The Operational Impact
For ECC and PSAP leaders, Zero Trust is not just a technical upgrade. It is an operational safeguard. Consider the following scenarios:
A call taker’s password is stolen in a phishing attack. Under a traditional system, attackers could gain broad access. In a Zero Trust model, stolen credentials alone are not enough. Multi-factor authentication and session monitoring stop the intrusion.
A contractor logs in from an unfamiliar location. Instead of granting automatic access, Carbyne’s platform flags the session for additional verification.
Malware attempts to spread from one system to another. Micro-segmentation limits the blast radius, preventing a single infection from spreading across the entire environment.
Each scenario demonstrates the same principle: Zero Trust reduces risk by refusing to trust anything without proof.
Why Transparency Matters Here Too
Zero Trust is only valuable if leaders can prove it is working. That is why Carbyne combines Zero Trust architecture with transparency. Independent validation, audit-ready documentation, and shared testing reports give directors and CIOs the evidence they need to defend their choices.
When a county commissioner, oversight board, or city council asks, “How do we know we are secure?”, leaders can answer with confidence and documentation, not vague assurances.
The Cost of Standing Still
Some agencies hesitate to adopt Zero Trust because they believe modernization requires replacing their entire infrastructure. In reality, the greater cost comes from standing still.
The financial impact of a ransomware attack can exceed millions of dollars, not including reputational harm and loss of community trust. The operational impact is worse: unanswered calls, delayed response, and avoidable loss of life. Incremental adoption of Zero Trust practices is far less costly than recovering from a successful attack.
Get Prepared for What’s Ahead
The perimeter is gone. Attackers have already proven they can get inside. The question for public safety leaders is whether their systems are prepared to stop them once they do.
Zero Trust provides the answer. By continuously verifying every user, device, and connection, it transforms public safety technology from a fragile castle into a resilient fortress. For ECCs and PSAPs, this is no longer optional. It is the only defense that matches the urgency of the mission.
Carbyne delivers Zero Trust as a built-in foundation, not an afterthought. For leaders, that means less uncertainty, more confidence, and the ability to stand in front of oversight bodies with evidence of resilience.
Ready to learn more?
Visit carbyne.com/cybersecurity to learn more or to schedule a demo.