Why PSAPs Need Securim: A Practical Roadmap to Cyber‑Resilient 9‑1‑1
- Securim
- Nov 7
- 3 min read
Introduction
Every second counts when someone dials 9‑1‑1. The mission of a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) is simple in concept but complex in execution: ensure that emergency calls are answered, dispatched and responders are supported. However, in today’s digital‑first, interconnected world, the very infrastructure that enables this mission is under escalating cyber‑threat. The question isn’t if a cyber incident will impact a PSAP — it’s when, and how prepared you are.
Here at Securim, we believe PSAPs deserve a robust, practical roadmap to cyber‑resilience. This article outlines the reality facing PSAPs today, the key risk areas, and how our approach helps ensure mission continuity for emergency communications.
1. The Reality PSAPs Face
In 2024, cybercriminals disrupted five call‑handling systems dedicated to NG9‑1‑1. That’s a sharp increase — roughly 150% more than the comparable number in 2023.
About 75% of ransomware incidents affecting 9‑1‑1 availability began outside the PSAP — in adjacent county or law‑enforcement networks.
With the increased ability to send data and information from callers comes the expanded risk of cybersecurity attacks. PSAPs must be prepared to manage these risks proactively.
CISA emphasizes that cybersecurity must now be considered foundational to public safety operations.
Real world incident examples:
January 2024 – Bucks County, PA: ransomware (Akira) crippled CAD for days.
August 2024 – Central Texas: TDoS attack forced 9‑1‑1 call reroutes across multiple counties.
June 2024 – Massachusetts: statewide 9‑1‑1 outage tied to security device misconfiguration.
August 2025 – Nevada: statewide cyberattack on public services forced PSAP personnel to hand‑write call notes.
2. Why the Threat is Growing — and What Makes PSAPs Especially Vulnerable
The shift from legacy E9‑1‑1 to IP‑based NG9‑1‑1 brings tremendous benefits but also increases the attack surface. PSAPs depend on interconnected systems — law enforcement, EMS, and county IT — which means one compromise can ripple across the entire emergency response network. Downtime can put lives at risk, and many PSAPs remain under‑resourced.
3. The Roadmap — How Securim Helps PSAPs Become Cyber‑Resilient
At Securim, we approach PSAP cybersecurity with three integrated pillars:
Pillar 1: Assess & Strategize
Conduct a full cyber‑risk assessment tailored to the PSAP and its connected networks.
Map incident‑impact scenarios
Define governance and mutual‑aid agreements.
Pillar 2: Protect & Harden
Implement MFA, patch management, and network segmentation.
Harden infrastructure and secure vendor access.
Develop rerouting agreements to ensure continuity.
Pillar 3: Detect, Respond & Recover
Deploy monitoring and logging.
Run tabletop exercises simulating cyberattacks.
Establish recovery protocols and train staff regularly.
4. Why Securim?
Securim specializes in cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. We help PSAPs bridge the gap between compliance and operational resilience. Our roadmap aligns cybersecurity with mission continuity, ensuring that when emergencies strike, systems stay online and operational.
“Every second of downtime in a 9-1-1 system isn’t just lost data — it’s lost response time. Our goal at Securim is to help PSAPs turn cybersecurity from a reactive task into a proactive shield for public safety.” — Abhi Thorat, Founder & CTO, Securim
5. Next Steps for PSAP Leadership
Schedule a cyber‑risk assessment.
Update incident‑response and reroute agreements.
Prioritize patching and vendor‑access controls.
Conduct tabletop exercises.
Build cyber‑resilience as an ongoing program.
Conclusion
As PSAPs transition to NG9‑1‑1, resilience becomes the foundation for public safety. The shift offers new capabilities but also new risks. At Securim, we stand ready to guide PSAPs through assessment, protection, detection, and recovery — because every call, every system, and every second matters.
Ready to strengthen your 9-1-1 cybersecurity posture?
Schedule a free consultation with Securim’s experts to identify vulnerabilities, improve resilience, and ensure uninterrupted emergency response.
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