The Government has announced a call for views from the data centre industry on how to increase the security and resilience of UK data centres and online cloud platforms.
According to a statement from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Government is inviting contributions from data centre operators and customers, cloud platform providers, security and equipment suppliers and cyber security experts in order to understand the risks data storage and processing services face. It is seeking advice on what steps are currently being implemented to address security and resilience vulnerabilities.
The call will also ask companies which run, purchase or rent any element of a data centre to provide details of the types of customers they serve.
Based on the evidence produced from the call, the DCMS will decide whether any additional government support is needed to minimise risk to data storage and processing infrastructure. This would build upon existing safeguards for data infrastructure, which include the Networks and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018, which cover cloud computing services.
This latest move is part of the government’s National Data Strategy to ensure the security and resilience of the infrastructure on which data relies.
The UK Data Minister Julia Lopez said, “Data centres and cloud platforms are a core part of our national infrastructure. They power the technology which makes our everyday lives easier and delivers essential services like banking and energy.
“We legislated to better protect our telecoms networks and the internet-connected devices in our homes from cyber attacks and we are now looking at new ways to boost the security of our data infrastructure to prevent sensitive data ending up in the wrong hands.”
Julian David, CEO, techUK added, “The UK’s data infrastructure – through cloud platforms and data centres – underpins the digital technologies and services upon which all citizens and organisations increasingly rely.
“The technology sector already plays an important role in strengthening resilience across the UK economy and techUK welcomes the opportunity to engage with Government on these significant issues. One particular focus will be how these proposals will align with wider efforts to strengthenresilience across sectors as well as the wider ambitions outlined in the UK’s National Cyber Strategy – which is a continuation of UK Government’s longstanding leadership in cyber security.”
