Datacentres will be classified as critical national infrastructure

They are the “engines of modern life”

Datacentres will be the first addition to the critical national infrastructure designation since 2015.

The designation of data infrastructure as part of National critical Infrastructure (CNI) means that the sector can expect greater government support should it experience a critical incident.

This involves joining other services designated CNI such as the emergency services, energy and water supplies in having a dedicated team of government officials which monitors the sector and anticipates threats.

Prioritised access is given to security agencies which includes the National Cyber Security Centre in the event of a major incident such as an extreme weather event, cyber-attack or outage – of which the recent CrowdStrike outage services as an excellent illustration.

Windows systems worldwide when CrownStrike botched a software update a few weeks ago. Amid widespread commercial fallout and disruption, 60% of GP practices in the UK were affected via software holding patients’ appointment details, prescriptions, and health records.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle said:

“Datacentres are the engines of modern life,” said Kyle. “They power the digital economy and keep our most personal information safe.

“Bringing datacentres into the critical national infrastructure regime will allow better coordination and cooperation with the government against cyber criminals and unexpected events.

The government has stated that the new CNI designation will also deter cyber criminals from targeting them. In the event of an attack on infrastructure holding NHS patient data for example, the government would intervene to minimise the impact in the provision of healthcare services.

Welcome news – for most

Whilst the form that this intervention would take is unclear, the news has been greeted very positively by the datacentre and cybersecurity sectors.

Sylvain Cortes, VP Strategy at Hackuity, commented:

"Consumers, businesses, and the public sector alike should commend the UK Government's designation of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure.

The move is long overdue and will hopefully pave the way for more countries to follow suit. Data is the foundation of trillions of annual transactions, to say nothing of the other CNI dependent on these very data centres. Coincidentally, that makes them a prime target for the $10-trillion cybercrime industry."

Mark Pestridge, Executive Vice President & General Manager for Telehouse Europe commented:

"We welcome the government's decision to recognise the critical importance of our sector by designating data centres as Critical National Infrastructure. This move is a vital step in ensuring that the UK's digital backbone is protected from emerging threats and unforeseen incidents, reinforcing confidence in the security and resilience of the nation's data infrastructure.

"The increased government support and prioritised access to security agencies will be instrumental in safeguarding the vast amounts of personal, financial, and health data that power our economy and daily lives."

The announcement builds on the work of the previous government, who launched a consultation at the end of 2023 to discuss the addition of datacentres to the 13 organisations and services with CNI designation.

A report published at the same time by the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy determined that the UK faced a high risk of a “catastrophic” ransomware attack which could decimate the provision of essential services.

The government also welcomed a proposed £3.75bn investment in creating Europe’s largest datacentre in Hertfordshire by the data firm DC01UK which it said would create more than 700 jobs locally and support thousands more across the country.

AWS also announced its intention to invest £8bn in UK datacentres over the next five years.

Datacentres undoubtedly create jobs and provide a boost for regional economies. Nonetheless, people are often less than thrilled when one is proposed in their locale, often citing not just the environmental impact but the strain on electricity and water supplies. The Housing and Communities Secretary and Deputy PM Angela Rayner called in two such proposed datacentres in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire within days of taking office.