National policies for protecting critical infrastructure to drive billions in cyber security spending

ENGLAND: Cyber security for critical infrastructures has become an issue of primary importance to nation states. Policy is playing an increasingly important role alongside the deployment of technical measures.

The cornerstone of implementing a viable digital society relies heavily on the concept of ensuring trust in the underlying infrastructure. Energy, telecoms, healthcare, and transport systems and other critical sectors are making use of Internet connectivity and next generation technologies to boost productivity and improve efficiency. Protecting these networks from cyber threats requires a national approach.

Governments have a duty to ensure the digital security of critical infrastructures. This requires accompanying technical efforts with policies in order to implement a coherent cyber security strategy across all sectors. From national defense through to water management, all connected networks require strategic planning and organization to achieve an acceptable level of cyber security.

Currently, few nation states are prepared to counter a full-scale cyber-attack on their critical infrastructure. And there is no doubt that online threat agents are growing in number and in skill.