Recurring cyberattacks against critical infrastructures, including emergency call centres, around the world remind us about the need for better preparedness. Rescue organisations need to operate non-stop: unavailability of first response can even result in the death of people who could otherwise be saved.
EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM CYBERATTACKS
Most of the time, saving lives depend on people having access to emergency services. Therefore, ensuring continuity of service of emergency numbers is crucial. Cyberattacks are one of these threats that can have devastating effect on emergency response and emergency services should make sure to be ready to face such situation. The question is not if it will happen but when and how it will happen.
Italy – Ransomware attack disrupts emergency services in South Tyrol
A ransomware attack in June 2025 affected South Tyrol’s State Emergency Call Centre, fire brigade coordination and traffic management systems. Authorities refused to pay the ransom and emergency communications continued using fallback systems.
https://cybermaterial.com/cyberattack-hits-south-tyrol-emergency-ops/
USA – Indiana 911 call centers experience DDoS-related disruptions
Indiana’s 911 call routing was impacted by DDoS activity, exposing the fragility of emergency services in the face of evolving cyber threats and reinforcing the need for resiliency.
https://tusaconsulting.com/cyber-awareness-and-resilience-a-critical-priority-for-9-1-1-services/
Germany – Cyberattack on Südwestfalen-IT disrupts state emergency systems
A 2024 cyberattack on public IT provider Südwestfalen-IT affected police emergency response systems in several German states, including communications and dispatch capabilities.
https://therecord.media/german-it-provider-cyberattack-government-disruption
Norway – ICT outage affects hospitals and emergency numbers
A major ICT system failure in Norway disrupted hospital operations and emergency number availability in several health regions, raising concerns about dependency on centralized digital infrastructure.
https://www.digi.no/artikler/ikt-nedetid-har-rammet-flere-helseforetak-og-nodnumre/531004
France – Saint-Nazaire city hall cyberattack impacts emergency call access
A ransomware attack on the city of Saint-Nazaire temporarily blocked public access to emergency services, including fire and ambulance call routing.
https://www.francetvinfo.fr/internet/securite-sur-internet/cyberattaque/la-ville-de-saint-nazaire-cible-d-une-cyberattaque_6301624.html
USA – Transitional 911 systems have ‘very, very broad attack surface,’ working group warns https://statescoop.com/transitional-911-systems-have-very-very-broad-attack-surface-working-group-warns/
Australia – Hackers Infiltrate Early Warning Network System to Send Spam https://threatpost.com/hack-early-warning-network-spam/140618/
Ukraine – Hackers attack website of Ukraine’s National Police, spread fake information https://112.international/society/hackers-attack-website-of-national-police-spread-fake-information-54957.html
UK –NHS could have avoided WannaCry hack with ‘basic IT security’, says report https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/27/nhs-could-have-avoided-wannacry-hack-basic-it-security-national-audit-office
preparedness is key
Cybersecurity is a top priority for EENA. As emergency services undergo digital transformation and adopt IP-based systems like NG112, ensuring the security of communication infrastructure becomes critical to public safety.
EENA advocates for cybersecurity by design, encouraging emergency services and solution providers to embed security at every layer of system architecture—from dispatch platforms to data exchange protocols.
We also recommend that emergency organisations strengthen staff awareness and training. Human error remains a key vulnerability, and equipping teams with the knowledge to identify and respond to threats is essential.
EENA integrates cybersecurity guidance across our work. The topic features prominently in:
- Strategic documents and position papers
- Blogposts exploring recent incidents and risks
- Dedicated webinars with expert panels
- Conference sessions where real-world case studies and solutions are shared
By promoting knowledge sharing, EENA helps ensure that cybersecurity remains a visible and integrated part of emergency service resilience efforts.
Cybersecurity more globally
