Expert Opinion: The Cyber Resilience Bill is coming – what your business needs to do now

Ahead of new cyber security regulations, Stockport IT support experts, Ctrl-S, explain what the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (CSRB) means for your business.

As the landscape of cyber threats continues to change and evolve, so do response requirements. The UK government is introducing new regulations in response to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (CSRB). This new legislation is a significant upgrade from the existing Network and Information Systems 2018 (NIS) legislation that currently exists. It is designed to modernise the nation’s cyber security posture and futureproof against current and future threats, including those of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). So, what does this mean for your business?

What is the Cyber Resilience Bill?

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill is expected to be enacted during the 2025-26 parliamentary session. At its core, the bill expands regulatory oversight to include a wider range of entities, most notably Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and data centres. This inclusion acknowledges their critical position within the enterprise IT infrastructure and their privileged access to sensitive client systems. The bill will place stricter obligations on MSPs to implement baseline cyber protections, including maintaining controls aligned with the Cyber Assessment Framework and reporting significant incidents. The legislation is supported by robust enforcement policies, with fines reaching up to £100,000 per day for non-compliance. Many businesses may not be directly regulated by the new CRSB but will be affected indirectly by new requirements from their IT provider.

Why This Matters to You As A Business Owner

Even if your business isn’t directly regulated, the CSRB will create a ripple effect. MSPs, such as CTRL-S, face direct regulatory obligations and significant potential fines; they will inevitably enhance their own internal security posture, develop robust compliance frameworks and streamline incident reporting processes. This increased operational overhead and the imperative for stricter security practices for MSPs will lead to changes in the services they provide or the price they charge.

For your business, this means your IT provider will be required to have more robust cyber protections in place. For some MSP businesses, the cost of implementing these will be large, due to them requiring large amounts of changes, and subsequently, this cost will be passed onto their clients. However, these protections are not ‘nice to haves’, they are critical protections designed to safeguard your business from supply chain attacks. The bill focuses on supply chain security, aiming to make MSPs more secure within the business chain.

Furthermore, a new requirement under the bill is customer notification in the event of a significant incident. If your MSP experiences a cyber incident that triggers reporting requirements, they will be legally obligated to inform their clients, increasing transparency but also placing a greater onus on you to understand and react to such notifications.

The Cyber Policies and Protections You’ll Likely Need

Whilst not all businesses are obligated to fulfil all the demands, key takeaways from the bill should be applied to all businesses. At CTRL-S, we recommend that your business has:

• Incident Response Plan: A formalised plan detailing how you will detect, contain and recover from breaches. This includes robust detection, triage and escalation procedures.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Implementing MFA on all critical systems will become even more crucial to strengthen access controls.
• Regular Patch Management & Software Updates: Ensuring updates and patches are installed regularly on all devices containing your business data.
• Backup and Disaster Recovery Policies: Robust backup and disaster recovery plans, with proof of regular testing, are essential for resilience against cyber incidents or other disasters such as hardware failure.
• Staff Cyber Awareness Training: Knowing that your team can spot cyber threats and remain safe when accessing your business’s data is vital, as threats from human actions continue to grow.
• Access Controls & User Privileges: Limiting who can access what, ensuring your data is accessible by as few entry points as possible.

What Should You Be Doing Now?

Don’t wait until the Bill is law. Proactive measures to ensure a smooth transition without causing financial strain or operational issues include:

• Audit Your Current IT Setup: Assess if you already have the recommended protections in place.
• Check your MSP Agreement: If you currently work with an MSP, check your contract to see if they cover these new obligations.
• Get Proactive Support: Engage with cybersecurity experts to understand your current posture and identify any gaps.