The government has unveiled a new Cyber Resilience Bill, which aims to empower regulators in handling cybersecurity incidents and will require reporting for ransomware attacks.
The bill was introduced during today’s King’s Speech, among 40 other bills. It comes in response to cyber attacks on the UK’s digital economy by cybercriminals and state actors, impacting public services and infrastructure.
Following a recent Russian cyber attack on Synnovis, a company providing pathology services to the NHS, patients may face delays of up to six months for blood tests.
The bill will extend regulators’ authority to cover supply chains and address supply-side attacks, where malicious actors infiltrate networks through third-party suppliers. It also aims to establish a more robust regulatory environment to ensure the implementation of cybersecurity measures.
Furthermore, the government will mandate additional incident reporting, including for ransomware attacks.
Research fellow Jamie Maccoll from defence thinktank RUSI believes mandatory reporting of ransomware incidents will enhance understanding of cybercrime in the UK.
Rohan Massey, managing partner at law firm Ropes and Gray, sees the new Cyber Security and Resilience Bill aligning with the EU’s NIS2 Directive, despite the UK not being subject to it.
Experts suggest that the bill is necessary given the evolving landscape of warfare, where cyber attacks have become a standard element of conflicts targeting various sectors.
In addition to the Cyber Resilience Bill, a new Digital Information and Smart Data Bill may impact businesses in the UK by reforming data-sharing standards and granting new powers to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
While an AI Bill was notably absent from the recent announcements, industry and government will need to collaborate closely to navigate the regulatory landscape around artificial intelligence.
Overall, these legislative developments reflect the government’s commitment to bolstering cybersecurity measures and adapting to the evolving digital landscape.