Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
- The UK has designated data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) due to their importance in modern economies and increased cyber threat landscape.
- This designation will lead to better protection, coordination, and support for data centres to strengthen cybersecurity posture and resilience.
Article:
The UK government has decided to list data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) in light of the significant impact a successful cyber attack on these facilities could have. With the UK being a leader in the number of data centres in Western Europe, the government plans to ensure better protection against cyber threats for these crucial entities.
This new designation will involve the establishment of a dedicated data infrastructure team of senior government officials to monitor, anticipate threats, and coordinate emergency responses. This will also include cloud operators using data centres to provide services, such as major companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google.
The move comes amidst a worrying increase in DDoS attacks, which can overwhelm servers and networks, posing a significant threat to data centres holding vast amounts of sensitive information. The government aims to enhance the cyber security posture of these data centres and aid in their quick recovery in case of incidents.
As data centres gain protected status, they face challenges in managing energy consumption and environmental impact while supporting emerging technologies like AI. The designation as CNI underscores the growing cyber threat landscape and the critical role data centres play in modern, technology-driven societies, ensuring they receive the necessary protection and support.
