How secure and resilient is data infrastructure (DI) in the UK? Which systems in the sector should be designated Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and how? What are the risks (social and economic) to the UK of less-than-ideal levels of security and resilience?
Background
In order to achieve these missions, DP must build upon the research and evidence that informs its knowledge base and underpins its policies. Below articulates the directorate’s critical policy issues and questions identified in response to the NDS missions. Key focus areas include defining and monitoring the data ecosystem and economy, generating evidence for intervention and understanding the impacts of policies.
DSIT is committed to improving data sharing. The NDS Mission 1 Policy Framework outlines the principles for intervention and priority areas for action for unlocking data value. Addressing the barriers to optimal data use and reuse is an important area of interest.
The government has held a consultation on reforms to the UK’s data protection regime. The approach for data protection change is set out in the documentation for a new data direction. DP is working to ensure that UK GDPR, the ICO and other parts of the data protection regime are fit for purpose. Evidence relating to privacy and trust in data and data use and the impacts of data regulation would help to address some of the directorate’s key questions.
DP wants to broaden its understanding of data infrastructure and strengthen its evidence base on data centres, cyber security and resilience. The environmental impacts of data use is a key area of research interest.
It is important to advance our knowledge of international data flows and how they shape and influence the global data system. Addressing the evidence gap on the value of data flows as well as the volume of data is of key interest.
Next steps
If you are keen to register your interest in working and connecting with DSIT Digital Technology and Telecoms Group and/or submitting evidence, then please complete the DSIT-ARI Evidence survey - https://dsit.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cDfmK2OukVAnirs.
Please view full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology-areas-of-research-interest/dsit-areas-of-research-interest-2024
Source
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
Related UKRI funded projects
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UK-RoI Cross-Border Data Protection Network (Cross-DPN)
The UK-RoI Cross-Border Data Protection Network (Cross-DPN) will create a forum for discussing the challenges of data protection in the post-Brexit era through an interdisciplinary perspective, involving a number of stak...
Funded by: ESRC
Why might this be relevant?
Addresses challenges of data protection in the post-Brexit era and the importance of data flows between UK and RoI.
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Digital Technologies ActiNg as a Gatekeeper to information and data flOws
TANGO will establish a stronger cross-sector data sharing, in a citizen-centric, secure and trustworthy manner, by developing innovative solutions while addressing environmental degradation and climate change challenges....
Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee
Why might this be relevant?
Partially relevant as it focuses on data sharing, privacy, and environmental sustainability, but does not specifically address the UK's data infrastructure security and resilience.
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Data Release - Trust, Identity, Privacy and Security
The Open Data Initiative (ODI) demonstrates that there is a growing ambition from government to publish internal data as open data sets. (See https://data.gov.uk). Data custodians, particularly large governmental organis...
Funded by: EPSRC
Why might this be relevant?
Addresses data release and privacy concerns, but does not specifically focus on UK data infrastructure or CNI designation.