Should Cloud Be Classed As Critical Infrastructure?
Security Boulevard, Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Over the past few years, large-scale cloud outages have demonstrated just how deeply digital services are woven into the fabric of modern society. When widely used cloud platforms experience disruption, the impact extends far beyond individual applications; banking services stall, transport systems falter, and connected devices across homes, factories, and hospitals can suddenly lose functionality.
Over the past few years, large-scale cloud outages have demonstrated just how deeply digital services are woven into the fabric of modern society. When widely used cloud platforms experience disruption, the impact extends far beyond individual applications; banking services stall, transport systems falter, and connected devices across homes, factories, and hospitals can suddenly lose functionality.
With entire economies relying on cloud-based services, these incidents present an excellent opportunity to reassess which applications are critical and how we should rearchitect our infrastructure.
A timely, increasingly unavoidable debate arises: Should the cloud be classed and regulated as critical infrastructure?