Jersey Plans Stronger Cyber Security Legislation

Jersey ministers have unveiled draft legislation aimed at giving islanders stronger safeguards against cyber crime, amid rising attempts by criminals to access sensitive data held by businesses, government departments and private individuals.

Under the proposals, the Jersey Cyber Security Centre would take on oversight of the new framework. Deputy Kirsten Morel said the legislation would align the island with international best practice and bolster its resilience.

He described the draft laws as providing “a robust, future-proof framework for cyber security governance, incident response, and critical infrastructure protection in Jersey.”

Ministers said the primary goal was to improve the security of essential services—including transport networks, food supply chains, health care and government systems—which could be severely disrupted by targeted attacks.

They pointed to a major incident at Marks & Spencer in April, where a cyber attack caused millions of pounds in lost revenue, as an example of the economic and operational damage they want to prevent locally.

Under the planned rules, organisations deemed essential would be required to meet a set of cyber security standards. Failure to comply could result in fines of up to £10,000.