Why Zero Trust connectivity is the next step for urban mobility

The growing security gap in connected transport

 

As mobility services scale, so does the number of connected endpoints, each one a potential entry point for attack. Traditional VPN or APN models weren’t built for this level of device movement or network complexity.

 

Public networks leave devices visible to anyone who knows where to look. A single misconfigured VPN can expose thousands of active connections, leading to lost data, service interruptions, or compliance risks. In a world where uptime and trust define reputation, operators can’t afford a weak link.

 

 

What Zero Trust means for mobility

 

Zero Trust flips the traditional security model on its head: never trust, always verify. Every connection between a device, network, or cloud service must be authenticated and authorised in real time.

 

In mobility, this means each scooter, dock, or vehicle becomes a “segment of one.” No device can talk to another, or to the internet, without explicit verification. It’s how operators can prevent lateral attacks, protect data at rest and in motion, and comply with new frameworks like NIS2.

 

 

From VPNs to Zero Trust: a better way to connect

 

Legacy, hub-and-spoke VPNs were built for office access, not fleets of moving devices. They add latency via backhaul and create central choke points. VPNs also require public-facing gateways, and IoT deployments that use public APNs or internet-routable addressing can expose device endpoints.

 

Zero Trust removes that dependency entirely. Connections are verified per session and secured at the network edge, so data travels only through trusted, encrypted paths. The result is higher uptime, lower risk, and a cleaner, faster user experience, without the operational drag of managing VPN tunnels.

 

 

Zero Trust by design

 

IXT can integrate Zero Trust principles directly into our connectivity with our secure SIM and SecureNet platform. When added, every connection between a device and the cloud is validated automatically, no manual setup, no open ports, no exposed IPs.

 

This approach eliminates the need for external security stacks or complex configurations. Whether your vehicles operate in one city or ten, they will be protected by default. That’s connectivity built for both scale and compliance, secure by design, not by add-on.

 

 

The future of secure urban mobility

 

As smart cities evolve, mobility systems will increasingly connect to payment networks, grids, and municipal data platforms. That means more data, and more responsibility.

 

Operators adopting Zero Trust early gain a competitive advantage: stronger reliability, lower compliance burden, and a story cities and investors trust. The next phase of mobility won’t be about who moves fastest, but who moves safest.

 

 

Key takeaways

 

• SecureNet and Zero Trust replaces VPNs with real-time, identity-based security.

• Each device is isolated, eliminating lateral movement and data leaks.

• Compliance ready: built-in support for NIS2 and GDPR frameworks.

• Simplified operations: one SIM, one network, secure everywhere.

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What makes Zero Trust different from traditional IoT security?

Traditional models assume anything inside the network can be trusted. Zero Trust requires every device, connection, and data flow to be verified continuously, eliminating internal blind spots.

 

How does Zero Trust improve uptime for mobility fleets?

 

Zero Trust for IoT replaces VPN hubs with a distributed, identity-aware edge — nearest-node breakout, automatic failover, and least-privilege access deliver lower latency, fewer outages, and a smaller blast radius.

 

Is Zero Trust necessary for NIS2 compliance?

Yes. The NIS2 Directive explicitly recommends Zero Trust principles for critical and connected infrastructure, including smart mobility networks.

 

Can existing fleets adopt Zero Trust without replacing hardware?

 

Yes. IXT’s Secure SIM integrates Zero Trust at the network level, so most devices connect securely without changes to firmware or hardware.

 

 

About the author

 

IXT writes about IoT connectivity because we build it. We’re a Full-MVNO with our own core network and a CMP we designed in-house, so we see what works at scale and what doesn’t. Our team has decades of experience in M2M/IoT, from network engineering to enterprise rollouts, so the guidance we share is practical, vendor-agnostic and field-tested. Connect, secure and manage devices with confidence using our IoT Connectivity.

 

IXT – Connected. Secure. Everywhere.