Consultation launched on improving Jersey’s cyber defence legislation

This consultation proposes new legislation provide a clear mandate for CERT.JE and ensure that Jersey can effectively prepare for, defend against and respond to cyber attacks.

The proposed changes include:

• changing the name from Cyber Emergency Response Team to The Cyber Security Centre for Jersey to better reflect its role and responsibilities.
• moving it from operating on an interim basis within the Department for the Economy, and funded as part of the Government Plan, to being an independent grant funded advisory and emergency response body to operate at arm’s length from regulators, law enforcement and Government.
• providing a clear legal basis for its activities and to ensure access to the right information at the right time.
• providing for Operators of Essential Services to notify cyber security incidents within 48 hours.

Matt Palmer, Director of the cyber emergency response team (CERT.JE) said “This proposed legislation is an essential step to better protect islanders, our public services and our economy from cyber criminals and malicious hackers as well as rogue nations.

“We have learned a lot over the last year through incident readiness exercises, our response to the war in Ukraine, and from recent social engineering and ransomware attacks on industry and public services. We’ve also had the opportunity to work collaboratively with countries around the world to protect islanders from global threats. It’s now time to make sure we have the tools to do the job well into the future, and that is what this legislation is about.

“CERT.JE welcomes the Government’s consultation and we would encourage organisations and islanders to respond if they have comments or suggestions. For that reason, CERT.JE will be hosting a series of meetings for the public and key stakeholders in January 2023. The more input we get, the better we will able to meet the needs of islanders and the local community.”

Six separate briefing meetings for public and stakeholder groups will be held in early January at the CERT.JE Operations Centre and online, with booking now available.

Islanders can also submit their responses by email to [email protected] with the subject heading Cyber Law Consultation, or by post to FAO Elisabeth Blampied, Department for the Economy, 19-21 Broad Street, St Helier, JE2 3RR.