Cyber Security and Operational Resilience specialism

Effective cyber security is increasingly important as digital technology and interconnected systems become embedded in everyday life and critical services. Protecting the devices, technology, and infrastructure we rely on from cyber threats and disruptive events is therefore essential.

Our Cyber Security and Operational Resilience specialism regulates and influences dutyholders to ensure they protect sensitive nuclear information and effectively manage risks to the systems, services and industrial processes that support nuclear safety, nuclear security, and non-proliferation (safeguards).

Sensitive nuclear information includes details about activities on nuclear sites that must be protected in the interests of national security. This includes information that could be of interest to hostile actors seeking to harm the UK’s national interests, or that could support weapons proliferation and therefore requires tight control.

Our specialist inspectors are also responsible for ensuring the sector protects industrial processes from cyber events. Critical national infrastructure, including the nuclear sector, has become increasingly interconnected. This connectivity brings benefits, but it also creates additional risks to the safe operation of nuclear sites from those with malicious intent. It is therefore vital that the sector can withstand, adapt to and recover from cyber events.

The specialism brings together experienced cyber security professionals with backgrounds across a range of technical, regulatory, and operational disciplines. This breadth and depth of expertise, combined with strategic partnerships across government, intelligence agencies, the National Cyber Security Centre, industry and academia, supports effective regulation of the civil nuclear sector and helps maintain confidence in its resilience to current and emerging cyber threats.