Building a Cyber Strong America in Public Safety

For 21 years now, very October, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) raises awareness with Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CAM) to help Americans stay safe online. ">

We are supporting CISA's 2025 theme "Building a Cyber Strong America" because it is a call for every sector to do its part and we all are more cybersecure when we work together.

For public safety organizations like PSAPs, ECCs, and 911 centers, the stakes couldn't be higher. A cyberattack doesn't just disrupt operations — it can delay emergency response and put lives at risk.

SecuLore is providing tailored practical cybersecurity advice and awareness for public safety, highlighting essential steps for teams, connecting you to federal resources, and showcasing our own training and support for PSAPs and local governments.

Why Cybersecurity Awareness Matters for PSAPs

  • High Stakes: A single disruption to call-handling or CAD systems can halt dispatch.

  • Rising threats: Ransomware attacks against state/local governments surged in 2024

  • Human factor: Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report shows 74% of breaches involve human error, privilege misuse, or social engineering.

Cybersecurity awareness isn’t just an IT problem, it’s a frontline responsibility for dispatchers, supervisors, and leadership alike. Learn why PSAP cybersecurity leadership matters from cyber expert, Sean Scott.

Leadership’s Role in Building a Cyber-Ready PSAP

Steps to Strengthen Your Cybersecurity Defenses

Step 1: Make Cyber Hygiene Visible

Public safety staff work under pressure. Simple, visible reminders help reduce risky behavior.

  • Post cyber hygiene reminders in the comms room: lock your screen, verify email senders, avoid plugging in unknown USBs.

  • Add a 2-minute “cyber tip of the day” to pre-shift briefings.

  • Share quick reminders about phishing, password resets, or patch cycles.

Explore our cybersecurity trainings for your staff.

Step 2: Train Staff to Spot Phishing

Phishing remains the #1 reported cybercrime type in the FBI’s IC3 report. Attackers know that PSAP employees handle urgent messages, which makes them targets for email and smishing lures.

  • Show real examples of phishing emails that mimic public safety partners.

  • Run short phishing quizzes or tabletop discussions.

  • Encourage staff to report any suspicious message immediately.

Related resource: SecuLore Awareness Training for Public Safety

Step 3: Strengthen Passwords and Access

Weak or stolen credentials remain one of the top ways attackers breach networks.

  • Require long passphrases and consider password managers.

  • Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on dispatcher consoles and admin systems.

  • Rotate shared console logins on a set schedule.

Stat to remember: IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report found that breaches caused by stolen/compromised credentials cost organizations $4.62M on average.

Step 4: Build an Incident Response Culture

Awareness also means knowing what to do when something goes wrong.

  • Maintain a 911-specific incident response plan.

  • Run tabletop drills for ransomware or telephony denial-of-service (TDoS).

  • Ensure staff know who to contact and how to escalate.

Learn more: SecuLore Incident Response Drills

Step 5: Leverage Federal Resources

CISA offers free resources to state, local, and public safety organizations:

  • Cyber Hygiene Services (external vulnerability scans).

  • Cybersecurity Awareness Month toolkit for education.

  • Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog to prioritize patching.

Quick Wins for Leaders

Share this blog with your IT and dispatch supervisors.

Schedule a consult to see how CJIS Assist or CyberSight MDR can improve resilience.

Encourage supervisors to post simple reminders or use CISA’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month Toolkit in breakrooms and console areas. For structured reinforcement, explore SecuLore’s Cybersecurity Awareness Training.

Build a Cyber Strong 911 Center

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that public safety organizations must stay vigilant. From phishing and passwords to incident response drills, awareness is the foundation of resilience.

Start small: hang a flyer, run a phishing quiz, review your incident plan. Every step builds a Cyber Strong PSAP.

Contact SecuLore to explore training and protection tailored for 911 centers, ECCs, and local governments.

Contents

Other Resources

  • Nevada’s 2025 Ransomware Incident: Case Study in Detection, Response, and Recovery
  • SecuLore Introduces CyberShapes™: AI-Enhanced Threat Detection for Public Safety & Critical Infrastructure
  • CJIS Cybersecurity Requirements: What You Need to Know
  • SonicWall Breach – Backup Files Exposed: Advice for Critical Networks
  • Cybersecurity Awareness Month for Public Safety 2025 Guide