The UK government has taken a significant step forward in protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure with the introduction of the new Cyber Security and Resilience bill. This legislation aims to safeguard the economy and secure long-term growth in an increasingly connected world. The bill represents a crucial development in the UK’s cyber security framework, building upon the foundations established by previous legislation and the National Cyber Strategy 2022.
As the digital economy expands, so too does the vulnerability of vital public services and infrastructure. Recent high-profile cyber attacks on the NHS and Ministry of Defence have highlighted the severe consequences these incidents can have. Ransomware attacks alone can disrupt critical healthcare services, cause financial losses, and even put lives at risk.
In response to these escalating threats, the UK Government is introducing the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to Parliament in 2025. This Bill aims to address current vulnerabilities by updating outdated regulations, bolstering our cyber defences, and ensuring that essential digital services are secure.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle, highlighted the benefits of the bill, stating that the new measures would, “help make the UK’s digital economy one of the most secure in the world – giving us the power to protect our services, our supply chains, and our citizens – the first and most important job of any government.”
What Does The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill Propose?
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill proposes several key changes that will help strengthen the UK’s cyber defences and ensure essential services are better protected, including:
So why is the cyber skills gap so pivotal in 2022? There are several factors…
1. Expanding the Remit of Cyber Security Regulations
One of the most significant aspects of the Bill is its expansion of existing regulations to cover more digital services and supply chains. These are increasingly attractive targets for cyber criminals, and their vulnerabilities have already been exposed by incidents such as the ransomware attack that impacted London hospitals.
The Bill will fill an important gap in the UK’s defences by bringing more sectors under stricter cyber security regulation. This means that more organisations, especially those providing essential services, will be legally required to implement robust cyber safety measures and ensure their systems are secure.
2. Strengthening the Role of Regulators
The Bill also aims to put regulators on a stronger footing to ensure compliance with cyber security standards. This includes providing regulators with additional powers to investigate potential vulnerabilities in systems and supply chains proactively. The Bill could even introduce cost-recovery mechanisms, ensuring that regulators have the necessary resources to enforce the new regulations effectively.
By giving regulators more authority and resources, the Bill will help create a stronger regulatory environment that encourages organisations to stay ahead of emerging cyber threats.
3. Increasing Cyber Incident Reporting
Another crucial element of the Bill is the introduction of more stringent incident reporting requirements. Under the proposed regulations, organisations will be required to report cyber incidents more comprehensively and promptly. This will help the government gather more data on the frequency, scale, and impact of cyber threats.
Better data means a better understanding of the cyber threat landscape, allowing the government and regulators to respond more effectively to emerging risks. By expanding the range of incidents that must be reported, the Bill will enable a more accurate picture of the state of cyber resilience across sectors.
4. Filling Gaps in the Regulatory Framework
The UK’s current cyber security regulations were implemented in 2018 and largely follow frameworks inherited from the EU. While these regulations have had a positive impact, reviews in 2020 and 2022 showed that progress had been slower than expected, and updates were needed to keep pace with evolving threats.
In particular, the 2022 review found that only just over half of operators of essential services had updated their policies and processes in the years since the regulations were introduced. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will address these gaps by modernising and expanding the regulatory framework to ensure that all essential services remain resilient to the growing threat of cyber attacks.
Who Will The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill Impact?
The Bill will apply UK-wide and impact a wide range of sectors, including:
- Health: Cyber security is critical for protecting patient data, hospital systems, and medical equipment. Attacks on hospitals can disrupt services, delay surgeries, and harm patients.
- Energy: Cyber threats to the energy sector can lead to disruptions in power supplies and energy services, posing risks to both businesses and consumers.
- Transport: Attacks on transport infrastructure can cripple national and local transportation systems, with significant economic and societal impacts.
- Drinking Water: Ensuring the safety and integrity of drinking water systems is crucial to public health and safety.
- Digital Infrastructure: This includes services such as cloud computing, online marketplaces, and digital communication platforms, all of which are vital to the functioning of modern businesses.
As cyber criminals increasingly target these sectors, the Bill aims to provide enhanced protection and resilience to prevent the disruption of critical services.
When Will The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill Come Into Effect?
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is expected to be introduced to Parliament in 2025. Once enacted, it will impose new obligations on businesses and organisations involved in delivering essential services. As such, it’s crucial for stakeholders in affected sectors to begin preparing for the changes now.
For businesses the Bill represents a new era of heightened accountability and cyber security responsibility. While this may introduce new regulatory requirements, it also offers an opportunity to strengthen your cyber defences and help protect the services that are critical to the UK’s economy and society.
Now is the time to start preparing for the changes the Bill will bring. By ensuring that your systems are secure, compliant with emerging regulations, and resilient to cyber threats, you can help protect your organisation, and the UK, against the dangers of the digital age.
Threatscape offers a wide variety of professional services purpose-built to address businesses evolving cyber and information security needs in light of new compliance requirements. Whether that’s upskilling your internal team, deploying a new solution, ongoing technical support, or an industry-specific security challenge, we have the capability to support your business.
Talk to us today and an account manager will be in touch to advise how we can best support your journey towards evolving compliance success.
