The UK government is set to introduce the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill later this year, marking a major step towards strengthening national cyber defences. As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, the bill will ensure that critical services—including hospitals, energy suppliers, and IT service providers—are no longer easy targets for cybercriminals.
This legislative move is part of the government’s Plan for Change, designed to enhance security, economic growth, and resilience. With cyberattacks costing the UK economy £22 billion between 2015 and 2019, and high-profile incidents like the Synnovis NHS attack (£32.7 million impact) exposing vulnerabilities, robust action is essential.
The UK's forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will extend regulatory requirements to include Managed Service Providers (MSPs), necessitating enhanced cybersecurity standards and mandatory incident reporting.
Given their privileged access to client systems, MSPs are attractive targets for cyberattacks. By incorporating MSPs into the regulatory framework, the bill aims to bolster supply chain resilience across 900-1100 MSPs and strengthen the nation's overall cyber defenses.
Additionally, the government is considering extra protections for 200+ data centres, recognising their role in driving economic growth and AI development.
With the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) managing 430 cyber incidents in 2024 alone, it’s clear that the risk landscape is evolving rapidly. The bill will give the Technology Secretary powers to enforce security improvements, ensuring the UK remains resilient to emerging threats.
For the 1,000+ MSPs affected by the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, compliance will require not just policy changes but practical security enhancements. Sentinel’s platform is uniquely positioned to support organisations in meeting the new regulatory standards. Here’s how:
Many cyber incidents involve attackers infiltrating corporate networks, making secure communications essential. Sentinel Spaces provides an out-of-band messaging platform, ensuring IT teams can coordinate incident response without relying on compromised infrastructure.
The bill highlights the need for rapid, coordinated responses to cyber threats. Sentinel Spaces enables organisations to run secure, dedicated incident response workspaces, allowing teams to:
In the event of a breach, affected organisations must communicate swiftly with employees and stakeholders. Sentinel’s mass alerting system ensures instant notifications via multiple channels—including SMS, email, and push notifications—keeping response teams informed and reducing downtime.
Cyber incidents often disrupt access to essential resources. Sentinel provides offline access to critical documents and contact directories, ensuring key personnel can still access emergency response plans even if systems are compromised.
The bill will require enhanced security for sensitive information, particularly in healthcare and energy sectors. Sentinel’s encrypted, access-controlled storage ensures organisations can retain and review security-critical communications while remaining compliant with data protection laws.
With the government unveiling full details of the bill for the first time, organisations must act now to ensure they meet the upcoming requirements. Sentinel offers a purpose-built resilience platform that aligns with the bill’s objectives—providing secure, reliable tools to protect critical services from evolving cyber threats.
As the UK works towards a more secure digital economy, service providers must prioritise cyber resilience. Sentinel is here to help organisations not just meet compliance requirements, but also build a more secure, future-proofed infrastructure for the challenges ahead.
Discover how Sentinel can help your organisation strengthen cyber resilience. Contact us today to learn more.