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Secure remote sites, legacy systems and critical services with zero trust security
Municipal governments rely on a wide range of connected systems to deliver essential public services. From water treatment facilities and utility networks to parks, public works and remote monitoring systems, these environments often combine modern technology with aging infrastructure and limited IT resources.
At the same time, municipalities remain frequent targets for cyberattacks. Securing critical infrastructure is no longer just an IT concern. It is essential for maintaining service continuity, protecting public safety and safeguarding community trust.
The challenge
Cities and municipalities face unique cybersecurity challenges.
Many critical systems were designed long before today's connectivity and threat landscape. Legacy equipment, remote sites, wireless networks and distributed field assets can create vulnerabilities that are difficult to secure and manage.
Potential risks include:
- Unauthorized access to critical infrastructure systems
- Service disruptions that impact residents and businesses
- Compromised water, utility, and public works operations
- Increased exposure through remote access connections
- Limited IT resources and overburdened staff
- Rising compliance and security requirements
Recent attacks on municipal and utility systems have demonstrated how cyber incidents can quickly extend beyond the digital world and affect essential services and public safety.
Traditional VPN-based security solutions are often complex, costly to maintain and increasingly targeted by attackers. Municipalities need a more modern approach to securing connected infrastructure.
The OpenBlue Airwall solution
OpenBlue Airwall helps municipalities secure critical infrastructure through a zero trust architecture that establishes trust before connectivity.
Unlike traditional security solutions, Airwall can protect and segment virtually any endpoint, including IoT devices, operational technology (OT), remote equipment and legacy infrastructure systems.
Key benefits
- Secure remote access for city staff, contractors, and maintenance teams
- Protection for legacy infrastructure and operational technology
- Zero trust network segmentation for critical systems
- Simplified management through centrally administered policies
- Rapid deployment with minimal network disruption
- Consistent security across remote sites and facilities
- Reduced risk of unauthorized access and lateral movement
Airwall hardware gateways securely connect remote and unmanaged systems while enforcing policy-based access controls. As security requirements evolve, administrators can quickly update and verify policies from a centralized platform.
The result is stronger protection, reduced complexity, and a more manageable security posture for resource-constrained IT teams.
What our customers are saying
Frequently asked questions
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How can municipalities secure critical infrastructure?Municipalities can strengthen critical infrastructure security by adopting a zero trust approach, implementing network segmentation and controlling access to essential systems. By verifying every user, device and connection before access is granted, cities can better protect water treatment facilities, utility networks, public works systems, and other critical services from cyber threats and unauthorized access.
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What is zero trust security for local government?Zero trust security is a cybersecurity framework that assumes no user, device or connection should be trusted by default. Every access request must be authenticated, authorized and continuously validated. For local governments, zero trust helps secure municipal networks, remote facilities, operational technology (OT) and critical infrastructure while reducing the risk of cyberattacks and unauthorized access.
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How can cities protect remote sites and utility systems?Cities often manage remote facilities such as water treatment plants, pumping stations, utility infrastructure, traffic systems and public works assets. OpenBlue Airwall helps secure these environments by creating trusted, encrypted connections between authorized users and approved systems, enabling secure remote access without exposing critical infrastructure to the public internet.
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How can legacy infrastructure be secured without replacement?Many municipalities rely on legacy equipment that remains operational but was not designed for today's cybersecurity challenges. OpenBlue Airwall can help protect aging infrastructure by creating secure access controls and network segmentation around existing systems. This allows municipalities to improve security while extending the value of current assets and avoiding costly replacement projects.
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Why are traditional VPNs challenging for municipal environments?Traditional VPNs can be difficult to manage across multiple sites, departments and user groups. As municipalities grow and add more remote connections, VPN configurations can become increasingly complex and may create additional security risks if not properly maintained. A zero trust architecture provides more granular access control by limiting users and devices to only the resources they are authorized to access.
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How does network segmentation improve municipal cybersecurity?Network segmentation helps separate critical systems from broader municipal networks, reducing the likelihood that a cyber incident can spread across departments or infrastructure. By limiting communications between systems, municipalities can improve security, reduce risk and better protect essential public services.
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How can municipalities securely support remote workers, vendors, and contractors?Municipal governments often rely on remote staff, maintenance teams and third-party service providers to support operations. OpenBlue Airwall enables secure remote access by establishing identity-based connections that allow only authorized users to access approved systems, helping reduce cybersecurity risks while maintaining operational efficiency.
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What types of municipal systems can OpenBlue Airwall help protect?OpenBlue Airwall can help secure a variety of municipal infrastructure and connected systems, including:
- Water and wastewater treatment facilities
- Public utility networks
- Public works systems
- Traffic and transportation infrastructure
- Parks and recreation facilities
- Remote monitoring and control systems
- Wireless municipal networks
- Operational technology (OT) environments
- Legacy infrastructure and connected devices
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How can municipalities improve cybersecurity with limited IT resources?Many municipal organizations operate with lean IT teams and limited budgets. OpenBlue Airwall simplifies security management through centralized policy administration, helping teams maintain consistent security controls across multiple locations while reducing administrative complexity and operational overhead.
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How does OpenBlue Airwall support municipal digital transformation initiatives?As municipalities modernize services and connect more systems, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important. OpenBlue Airwall supports digital transformation by enabling secure connectivity between users, devices, applications and infrastructure while maintaining strong security controls. This helps municipalities modernize operations, improve service delivery, and protect critical infrastructure at the same time.