UK to empower blocking high-risk suppliers to shield critical sectors from cyber threats

The UK government proposes amendments to the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to let authorities block purchases from high-risk suppliers and require regulated firms (in energy, healthcare, telecoms, etc.) to report significant cyber incidents to the National Cyber Security Centre within 24 hours and deliver incident reports within 72 hours, with penalties for non-compliance. The measures come after Iran-linked hackers shut down a small gas plant and aim to harden supply chains, though they could raise costs for energy companies dependent on Chinese-made tech and materials.