The Front Lines of Cybersecurity: Protecting Those Who Protect Us

We are in an era defined by asymmetric threats and digital escalation, and cybersecurity has evolved into a front-line operational imperative. It’s not just about defending networks—it’s about ensuring continuity of services that keep cities running, infrastructure functioning, and people safe. And behind every resilient system is a dedicated team—often working in silence, under extraordinary pressure—tasked with maintaining control amid chaos.

Yet too many of these teams are being asked to carry out this mission with outdated, disconnected tools. When crisis strikes, these gaps aren’t just inconvenient—they’re dangerous.

In degraded, disconnected, or high-pressure environments, resilience and adaptability aren’t optional. They’re mission-critical.

Whether you’re operating in the cloud, on-prem, or somewhere in between, it’s designed to keep mission-critical teams connected, secure, and in control—even when the internet doesn’t cooperate.

That’s Why We Built Mattermost

Mattermost was purpose-built for mission-critical operations. Whether deployed in the cloud, on-prem, or at the tactical edge, our platform delivers secure, real-time collaboration that keeps teams connected—even when the internet doesn’t.

Because when every second counts, and every click matters, the tools supporting your response must be as reliable as the people behind them.

In a Crisis, Every Second—and Every Click—Matters

Cybersecurity teams today are on the front lines of an increasingly volatile threat landscape—ransomware, infrastructure breaches, nation-state attacks—and they’re expected to respond in real time. Yet many still rely on generic, consumer-grade platforms: siloed email threads, ad hoc chat apps, or loosely integrated systems not designed for operational response.

These gaps show up at the worst possible moments—and the consequences can be catastrophic.

Case in Point: The City of Dallas Cyberattack (May 2023)

In May 2023, the City of Dallas became the target of a ransomware attack that crippled city services for weeks. The attack disrupted 911 dispatch, police communications, public libraries, court systems, and more. Internal emails were inaccessible. Public-facing systems failed. Even critical services like the police department’s computer-aided dispatch system (CAD) were impacted, forcing officers to revert to radio and manual communication. [Source: CNN]

The response was chaotic. Communication between departments broke down. Staff didn’t know who had access to what. Courtrooms closed. Trials were delayed. Emergency response teams operated without full system visibility. Public trust took a hit—and internal morale suffered, too. Weeks later, many systems were still partially offline, and city officials remained vague about the extent of the damage. A lack of real-time, secure collaboration infrastructure left city teams scrambling to coordinate in the dark. [Source: NBC DFW] This wasn’t just an IT failure—it was an operational failure. One that disrupted justice, emergency services, and public confidence.

Our Frontline Defenders Deserve Better

When critical infrastructure is attacked, it’s frontline workers—power grid operators, emergency response teams, field technicians—who bear the burden of recovery. They’re the ones coordinating under pressure, restoring services, and protecting public safety. But they can’t succeed if the tools they rely on aren’t built for the mission.

A powerful example of this unfolded during the 2015 Ukraine power grid attack. It was the first known successful cyberattack on a power grid, and it left more than 230,000 people without electricity in the middle of winter. The attackers didn’t just shut off the power—they intentionally disabled backup systems and flooded call centers to prevent coordinated response efforts.

On the ground, critical infrastructure workers were doing everything they could to bring systems back online. Field engineers rerouted power manually. Operators coordinated across disconnected tools. They were fighting not just a technical breach, but a communication crisis in the middle of a national emergency.

Despite their grit and determination, many teams were forced to work without full visibility or reliable channels. Fragmented collaboration tools made it harder to share updates, prioritize responses, and ensure safety. And yet, these workers stayed in the fight—pushing to restore power, stabilize operations, and protect their communities.

This wasn’t just a cybersecurity incident. It was a stress test of how well we support those on the front lines. And it revealed a painful truth: when collaboration systems fail, the people who pay the price are the ones trying to keep the lights on—literally. And this pattern continues today. From the L.A. Unified School District’s ransomware attack in 2022 to the Ascension Health cyberattack in 2024, attackers are targeting the systems that matter most—and the people trying to hold them together are still being asked to do it with broken, disconnected tools.

At the end of the day, what determines the outcome of these crises isn’t just the malware used or the vulnerability exploited—it’s how fast and effectively teams can coordinate their response. When collaboration breaks down, incident timelines stretch. Confusion spreads. Public trust erodes. And every delay is felt far beyond the SOC.

Support the Front Lines with Real-Time, Secure Collaboration

Security leaders can no longer afford to “make do” with general-purpose chat and email. Mission-critical teams need a purpose-built, secure command center—one that:

• Provides persistent, structured channels to keep communication organized
• Enables real-time collaboration across security, IT, legal, and operations
• Meets strict compliance standards (FedRAMP, HIPAA, FISMA, etc.)
• Ensures continuity—even in disconnected environments, degraded infrastructure, or moments of chaos.

One Size Doesn’t Fit Every Mission

Every organization’s operational environment is unique. Whether you’re supporting defense, critical infrastructure, or emergency response, your collaboration platform should align with the complexity and sensitivity of your mission—not the other way around.

Mattermost gives you the control to operate where and how you need to, without compromising on resilience, speed, or security.

Want to See How It Works? Let’s Talk at RSA.

We’ll be at RSAC 2025—meeting with security leaders and showcasing how secure collaboration is evolving to meet today’s mission-critical challenges.

If your teams are navigating fragmented communications during high-stakes events—or if you’re ready to reimagine how you coordinate in moments that matter most—we’d welcome the conversation.

Let’s talk about how Mattermost can help you protect those who protect us.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.