Public Sector Cybersecurity
Municipalities
Specialized cybersecurity and IT consulting for municipal governments, cities, counties, and local agencies. Protect citizen data, secure critical infrastructure, and meet compliance requirements within public sector budgets.
Municipal Compliance Requirements
Expert support for government cybersecurity regulations and standards
Security Challenges Facing Municipalities
Unique threats and constraints affecting local government cybersecurity
Citizen Data Protection
Safeguard personally identifiable information (PII) of residents including tax records, utility accounts, permits, and other sensitive government data.
Critical Infrastructure Security
Protect essential services like water treatment, traffic systems, emergency services, and public safety communications from cyber attacks.
Budget Constraints
Achieve robust cybersecurity within public sector budget limitations while meeting increasing regulatory and compliance requirements.
Ransomware Threats
Defend against ransomware attacks targeting municipalities, which can cripple public services and result in significant taxpayer costs.
How Guarded Protects Municipalities
Cost-effective security solutions designed for public sector needs and budgets
Risk Assessment
Comprehensive NIST-based assessment of your municipal IT environment, identifying vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and citizen-facing systems.
Learn More →Compliance Services
Expert guidance for state and federal cybersecurity requirements, grant compliance, and audit readiness for municipal governments.
Learn More →Tabletop Exercises
Realistic incident response simulations for ransomware, data breaches, and infrastructure attacks to test your emergency response capabilities.
Learn More →vCISO Services
Part-time CISO expertise for municipalities that can't afford full-time security leadership. Strategic guidance that fits public sector budgets.
Learn More →Security Awareness Training
Training programs for municipal employees covering phishing, social engineering, and cyber threats targeting government operations.
Learn More →Penetration Testing
Ethical hacking to identify vulnerabilities in municipal websites, portals, and systems before malicious actors exploit them.
Learn More →Our Approach for Municipalities
We understand the unique challenges facing cities, counties, and local governments: limited budgets, critical infrastructure protection, public scrutiny, sophisticated nation-state threats, and the operational complexity of serving citizens while maintaining security.
NIST & CISA Framework Implementation
Municipal cybersecurity programs should align with NIST Cybersecurity Framework and CISA guidance for critical infrastructure. We implement these frameworks in ways appropriate for municipal budgets and staffing: focusing on core protections (identify, protect, detect, respond, recover) without requiring enterprise-grade tools municipalities can't afford or maintain.
Our implementations satisfy federal grant requirements, state mandates, and audit expectations while building practical security that protects citizen services and critical infrastructure from ransomware and cyber attacks targeting local governments nationwide.
Critical Infrastructure & OT Security
Many municipalities operate critical infrastructure: water treatment, wastewater, emergency services, traffic management, and power distribution. These operational technology (OT) systems require specialized security distinct from traditional IT networks. We assess OT/IT convergence risks, implement network segmentation isolating critical systems, and establish monitoring without disrupting operational processes.
Our team understands SCADA systems, industrial controls, and the operational constraints of 24/7 critical services. Security implementations account for system availability requirements—we can't take water treatment offline for updates during implementation.
Grant & Funding Navigation
Federal and state cybersecurity grants (FEMA, CISA, state homeland security) provide funding for municipal security improvements—but grants require documented needs assessments, compliance with specific frameworks, and proper use justification. We help municipalities prepare grant applications with required risk assessments, security program documentation, and project scope definitions that satisfy grant requirements.
Once grants are awarded, we implement projects meeting grant deliverables and timelines, ensuring funds are spent appropriately and documentation satisfies auditors. Many municipalities have lost grant funding due to poor project documentation—we prevent that.
Incident Response & Recovery Planning
Ransomware attacks have crippled municipalities nationwide, shutting down 911 systems, preventing permit processing, and stopping payroll. We develop incident response and disaster recovery plans specific to municipal operations: maintaining emergency services during incidents, communicating with citizens and media, coordinating with state/federal cyber response teams, and recovering critical systems in priority order.
Our tabletop exercises simulate realistic municipal scenarios—ransomware hitting during election week, attacks on water systems, or 911 outages—ensuring your response team knows their roles before real incidents occur when time is critical and public safety depends on rapid recovery.
What Sets Our Municipal Practice Apart
We specialize in serving local governments, understanding your unique operational constraints, budget limitations, and the critical importance of protecting citizen services and critical infrastructure.
Public Sector Experience & Clearances
Our team includes former government cybersecurity professionals who understand municipal operations, procurement processes, budget cycles, and the political realities of local government. We hold security clearances allowing work on sensitive infrastructure projects and collaboration with state/federal cyber response teams during incidents. This experience translates into recommendations that work within your constraints, not generic security advice requiring unlimited budgets.
Budget-Conscious Solutions
Municipal budgets face constant pressure. We design security programs maximizing protection while minimizing ongoing costs: leveraging grants, using cost-effective cloud services, implementing open-source tools where appropriate, and avoiding vendor lock-in with expensive licensing. You get security that protects citizens without consuming disproportionate tax dollars. We also help prioritize spending—protecting 911 and water systems before less critical services.
State & Federal Coordination
Municipalities don't operate in isolation. We coordinate with state homeland security, state CISOs, FBI cyber task forces, and CISA regional offices ensuring you're connected to threat intelligence, incident response resources, and grant opportunities. When incidents occur, we know who to call and how to engage multi-agency response coordination—critical during major cyber incidents affecting public safety or critical infrastructure.
Multi-Jurisdictional Cooperation
Many municipalities share services: regional 911 centers, shared IT infrastructure, inter-local agreements for emergency services. We implement security programs accounting for these shared environments—establishing security requirements for partners, coordinating incident response across jurisdictions, and implementing access controls protecting your data while enabling necessary service sharing. Regional cooperation improves security cost-effectively.
Our Commitment to Local Government
We measure success by your outcomes: maintaining critical services during cyber incidents, protecting citizen data, passing state cybersecurity audits, securing grant funding, and building sustainable security programs within municipal budget constraints.
Many municipalities work with us year after year because we understand local government: respecting budget cycles, navigating procurement processes, coordinating with elected officials, and delivering security that protects citizens—the ultimate mission of municipal cybersecurity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about cybersecurity for municipalities
What cybersecurity regulations apply to municipal governments?
How can we protect against ransomware attacks on a limited budget?
Do we need a dedicated IT security person or can we outsource this?
What should our incident response plan include for a ransomware attack?
How do we secure critical infrastructure like water systems and traffic controls?
Ready to Strengthen Your Municipal Security?
Schedule a free consultation to discuss your cybersecurity needs, compliance requirements, and budget constraints. We understand public sector challenges and provide practical, cost-effective solutions.