Can Zero Trust Bridge the Cyber Equity Gap?

Cyber threats know no border and can affect people everywhere. They damage trust in governments and change how we live our daily lives.  

The strength of democracies isn’t just about voting. It’s also about protecting our digital systems.

In the latest episode of The Segment: A Zero Trust Leadership Podcast, I had the chance to talk with Nicole Tisdale, a leader in cyber policy, about how cybersecurity can protect both our institutions and the people they serve.

We discussed an important question: How can we make sure democracy benefits everyone, even as cyber threats keep increasing?

Meet Nicole Tisdale, founder and principal of Advocacy Blueprints

Nicole Tisdale is a cybersecurity policy attorney and the founder and principal of Advocacy Blueprints. With over 15 years of experience as a national security expert, she has served on both the U.S. National Security Council and the U.S. Congress House Committee on Homeland Security.

During her tenure, Nicole played a pivotal role in shaping critical cybersecurity policies. She led efforts to establish a $1 billion cybersecurity grant program and the first cyber incident reporting law.

Since founding Advocacy Blueprints in 2019, Nicole has worked as a consultant, trainer, and speaker, focusing on national security and advocacy. Her journey from a small town in Mississippi to the highest levels of government has shaped her commitment to making cybersecurity solutions accessible to all.  

Her approach is guided by the belief that “public policy can solve people’s problems at scale.”

What is cyber equity?‍

During our discussion, Nicole shared her vision: Real security means making sure cyber solutions are available and fair for everyone.

Nicole describes cyber equity as “the fair and just distribution of cybersecurity resources, protections, and opportunities across society, with a focus on vulnerable and marginalized communities.”

Cyber equity has become the main focus of Nicole’s work, and it's a concept she keeps improving. She explains that it’s not just about technical fixes — it also includes education, fair job opportunities, and balanced policies.

“Cyber equity means equal access to secure technologies and infrastructure,” Nicole emphasized. This is important for a healthy democracy and for protecting marginalized communities.

Today’s cyberattacks affect everyone, not just organizations

We often hear about big cyberattacks—like data breaches, ransomware, and threats to important systems. It’s easy to ignore them when they don’t feel personal or seem to affect us directly.

However, while we focus on cyber criminals, we also need to help everyday people protect themselves. Nicole shared powerful examples of how cyberattacks hit marginalized communities harder.

For instance, when criminals steal $1,000 from a family relying on Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, the effects can be devastating.

“These families don’t have the protections we often take for granted with our bank accounts,” she explained. Even small-dollar crimes can cause people to lose trust in important services like healthcare and education.

‍Zero Trust is an avenue to cyber equity

For Nicole, Zero Trust is the best way to include cyber equity in modern infrastructure.

She compared Zero Trust to locking your car doors, even when it's parked at home. “Zero Trust isn’t about assuming no one can be trusted,” she explained. “It’s about ensuring that trust is earned.”

Nicole stressed that for cyber equity, secure-by-design solutions need to be available to everyone.

“Zero Trust can remove the burden of security from the end user in cyber equity,” Nicole said. “Secure by design makes it easier for end users to understand and then implement Zero Trust.”

By designing security with fairness in mind, we can help underserved communities adopt cybersecurity practices. This can make democratic systems stronger in the long run.

As Nicole noted, “These cyber equity issues aren’t nice-to-haves. They’re the pillars of democracy.”

Restoring trust in democracy

When talking about election security, Nicole was very clear. Influence operations, like those that try to weaken trust in democracy, are some of the biggest threats we face.

She urged everyone to vote in 2024, no matter what happens. “You have to commit to voting,” she stressed. “No matter what happens before Election Day, no matter what hack, leak, or deepfake audio or video comes out, you must show up and vote.”

For Nicole, cyber equity isn’t just a technical issue — it’s key to protecting democracy. By helping vulnerable communities and making sure everyone has fair access to cybersecurity, we can rebuild trust in democratic systems and defend against those who try to damage them.

“A democracy has to serve its people, or it crumbles,” she concluded. Cyber equity ensures everyone has the tools to thrive in the digital age, and our democracy depends on it.

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