UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has announced that UK data centres have been designated as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’ (CNI). This is the first CNI designation since the Space and Defence sectors gained the same status in 2015. The designation means that data housed and processed in UK data centres, from photos taken on smartphones to sensitive financial information, is less likely to be compromised during outages, cyber attacks, and adverse weather events.
Being placed on an equal footing with water, energy, and emergency services systems, data centres will now receive greater government support in recovering from and anticipating critical incidents. This move is expected to provide reassurance to the industry, stimulate economic growth, and support investment in the UK’s data sector.
The CNI designation will establish a dedicated CNI data infrastructure team of senior government officials to monitor potential threats, provide prioritized access to security agencies including the National Cyber Security Centre, and coordinate emergency services in the event of an incident.
Critical National Infrastructure status will also serve as a deterrent to cyber criminals targeting data centres, minimizing disruption to health services, the NHS, and the economy. In the event of an attack on a data centre hosting critical NHS data, the government will intervene to ensure contingencies are in place to mitigate risks.
Peter Kyle, Technology Secretary
Data centres are the engines of modern life, they power the digital economy and keep our most personal information safe. Bringing data centres into the Critical National Infrastructure regime will allow better coordination and cooperation with the government against cyber criminals and unexpected events. The huge £3.75 billion private investment announced today in Hertfordshire is a vote of confidence in those plans and a clear example of my determination to ensure technological advancements are helping to grow our economy and create wealth across the country.Â
Bruce Owen, UK Managing Director, Equinix
We welcome today’s announcement by the government which recognises the critical nature of data centres and digital infrastructure to the economy and society. The internet, and the digital infrastructure that underpins it, has rapidly grown to be as fundamental to each one of our daily lives as water, gas, and electricity, and is now a service that people and the UK economy can no longer live without. Equinix is happy to have played an important role in the consultation process to bring about today’s critical national infrastructure status, which we believe will help safeguard the industry by ensuring the stability and growth of the UK and global economy and lay the groundwork for the UK’s bright digital future.
Matthew Evans, Director of Markets and COO, techUK
techUK welcomes the government’s pivotal decision to designate the data centres sector as Critical National Infrastructure and the recognition of the critical role they play in the UK’s modern economy. Data centres are fundamental to our digitising economy and are a key driver of growth. We look forward to collaborating closely with the government and our stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of these new measures and their impact on the sector. Continued engagement and partnership will be key in advancing our shared objectives of a secure, resilient, and thriving digital economy.