New laws proposed to strengthen the UK’s defenses against cyberattacks on healthcare, transport and energy

Hospitals, energy and water supplies and transport networks will be better protected from the threat of cyberattacks under new laws being introduced in UK Parliament today (12th November). 

Under the proposals, medium and large companies providing services like IT management, IT help desk support and cybersecurity to private and public sector organizations like the NHS will be regulated for the first time.

Regulators will be given new powers to designate critical suppliers to the UK’s essential services such as those providing healthcare diagnostics to the NHS or chemicals to a water firm, where they meet the criteria. Enforcement will be modernized, including tougher turnover-based penalties for serious breaches. And the Technology Secretary gets new powers to instruct regulators and the organizations they oversee.

Read more at UK government