Public Safety agencies are under siege from cyber attacks. The newly published 2024 Threat Landscape Report from the Public Safety Threat Alliance (PSTA) examines the top threats and developments impacting public safety throughout 2024. The report highlights that cyber threats have dramatically escalated, with opportunistic attackers, sophisticated criminal syndicates and even nation-state actors increasingly targeting critical infrastructure.
While 2024 saw a slight decrease in the total number of global cyberattacks against public safety, disruption to key mission critical systems such as land mobile radio, computer aided dispatch and 9-1-1 call handling systems rose dramatically. These systems are now experiencing sustained attacks on a regular basis for the first time on record.. This isn’t just a technology concern; it’s a direct threat to public safety, leading to significant disruptions in essential emergency services and putting lives at risk.
A staggering 66% rise in attacks on mission-critical systems
While ransomware attacks remain a major threat, there has been a significant increase in state-sponsored attacks targeting critical infrastructure. These attacks, mostly originating from China, Russia and Iran, are more sophisticated and persistent than those carried out by purely criminal actors.
Compromised credentials is still the number one method threat actors use to gain access to systems, but there is a rise in the use of zero-days, especially on public facing applications.
With the increasing impact of these cyber attacks and the growing sophistication of the threat actors it is even more important that good cyber hygiene is maintained. Zero day exploits are difficult to defend against, but a solid patching regimen will reduce the risk. For this to be effective an accurate inventory of assets is needed, this will highlight those that are most vulnerable to attack and exploit. Knowing how the organization will respond to a cyber attack will minimize the disruption and cost. Having a plan in place is not enough, regular tabletop exercises of that plan will minimize confusion and uncertainty in the event of a cyber attack.
Join the PSTA: Be cyber aware
The PSTA, an ISAO established by Motorola Solutions and recognized by CISA, provides invaluable resources to the public safety community. We offer research reports, webinars, threat intelligence products, and more – all at no cost to members.
Join the PSTA today to access the full 2024 Threat Landscape Report and other critical insights to help protect your organization. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Strengthening our collective cybersecurity posture requires collaboration and information sharing. Join the PSTA and be part of the solution.
