The UK government has just made a surprising announcement that should delight iPhone users across the Channel. Peter Kyle, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, has said that the country’s data centres, including those hosting services like iCloud, will now be considered critical national infrastructure (CNI).
A surprise government announcement
At first glance, the announcement by Peter Kyle, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, seems rather boring. It is about extending security protections to data centres considered national critical infrastructure.
But a closer look reveals that this designation will apply not only to physical data centers, but also “to cloud operators that use them to provide ordinary services like iCloud on your iPhone, including companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Google.”
Smartphone photos stored in UK better protected
The government says data centers power the economy and will be granted critical national infrastructure status today. This seems logical and even belated, given that data centers have become prime targets for cybercriminals.
But most surprisingly, this protection is extended to personal data on smartphones, such as photos. This represents a significant step forward in terms of security for iPhone users in the UK, even if it only concerns data centres based in the territory.
Secretary of State for Technology Peter Kyle said:
Data centres are the engines of modern life, powering the digital economy and keeping our most personal information safe. Bringing data centres into the National Critical Infrastructure regime will enable better coordination and cooperation with government against cybercriminals.
This is an interesting initiative that could inspire other countries to better protect citizens’ data, including that stored on consumer services like iCloud. Apple will surely welcome this announcement, which goes in the direction of better security of its users’ data.
