The UK Government has given data centres a massive boost and protections from cyber
criminals and IT blackouts by designating them as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
alongside energy and water systems.
Data including vital NHS, financial, and personal smartphone data is set to be safer from
cyber attacks, environmental disasters, and IT blackouts as part of government’s drive for
economic growth.
Critical National Infrastructure designation will allow the government to support the sector in
the event of critical incidents, minimising impacts on the economy.
The Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, has announced (12/9/24) that the government has
now classed UK data centres – the buildings which store much of the data generated in the
UK – as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’. It is the first Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)
designation in almost a decade, since the Space and Defence sectors gained the same
status in 2015.
It means the data housed and processed in UK data centres – from photos taken on
smartphones to patients’ NHS records and sensitive financial investment information – is less
likely to be compromised during outages, cyber attacks, and adverse weather events.
Putting data centres on an equal footing as water, energy and emergency services systems
will mean the data centres sector can now expect greater government support in recovering
from and anticipating critical incidents, giving the industry greater reassurance when setting
up business in the UK and helping generate economic growth for all.
CNI designation will, for example, see the setting up of a dedicated CNI data infrastructure
team of senior government officials who will monitor and anticipate potential threats, provide
prioritised access to security agencies including the National Cyber Security Centre, and
coordinate access to emergency services should an incident occur.
In the event of an attack on a data centre hosting critical NHS patients’ data, for example,
the government would intervene to ensure contingencies are in place to mitigate the risk of
damage or to essential services, including on patients’ appointments or operations.
Capitoline provides management training and audit services of critical data centre physical
infrastructure, power and cooling etc., to ensure that reliability and resilience meets the latest
international standards and best practice.
If you need help with ensuring you meet appropriate levels of security and availability contact us
