The future of security in data centres

As data centres become increasingly central to the UK's Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), the expectations around data centre security are changing rapidly. Operators are no longer protecting only commercial assets; they’re also safeguarding national resilience, economic stability and essential digital services. This shift is driving new security requirements, as well as tighter integration between cyber and physical environments for a more complex threat landscape.  

Rising regulation in data centre security 

The industry is moving towards a heavier regulation, with more defined compliance frameworks and legislated oversight. Stuart Miller, our Data Centre and Construction Lead for EMEA, explains that “testing, monitoring, reporting of incidents will be more defined,” outlining a future where data centre operators must demonstrate measurable, auditable security processes. 

This evolution will influence how organisations manage access control, OT systems, network segmentation and overall critical infrastructure compliance. Aligning early with emerging standards will help operators minimise risk and avoid costly retrofits as more regulations come into force. 

Secure-by-design must start at the planning stage 

A major challenge for data centre operators is the late integration of security during design and construction. Effective physical and OT security must be embedded early, particularly during RIBA Stages 3 and 4, where decisions around network architecture, resilience and access control are shaped. 

When security teams are introduced late, gaps emerge that are difficult and expensive to correct. Early collaboration ensures data centres are secure by design, reducing vulnerabilities and helping operators meet tightening compliance expectations across CNI. 

Find out more about why OT is an essential part of protecting your organisation’s continuity, resilience and reputation: https://www.oryxalign.com/blog/ot-cybersecurity-and-it-strategy-protect-critical-systems 

AI and automation in data centres

AI-driven capabilities are reshaping the way data centres detect, analyse and respond to threats. Machine learning tools can assess behaviour across networks, users, devices and physical access systems, identifying anomalies in real-time. These systems help define a baseline of normal activity and flag deviations that may indicate intrusion attempts or early-stage cyber-physical attacks. 

Automated response tools take this further by isolating compromised devices or network segments instantly, reducing downtime and strengthening operational resilience. This convergence of cyber and physical insights is becoming essential as threats grow more sophisticated. 

Advanced firewalls and intelligent gateways are amongst the models that are also accelerating adoption of Zero Trust architecture within data centres. Rather than relying on traditional perimeter defences, Zero Trust verifies every device, user and request continuously, significantly reducing the risk of lateral movement inside the environment. 

Read more of Stuart’s thoughts on why zero trust must reshape the modern data centre: https://technative.io/beyond-the-perimeter/ 

Shifting beyond traditional human-led security 

While human expertise remains vital, the nature of security operations is evolving. Modern data centres are moving toward automation-supported models that include robotics, drones and unified monitoring platforms, allowing teams to focus on rapid decision-making and strategic threat analysis. 

Stuart says, “we’re no longer just looking at protecting private investment… we’re in line now with certain government interests in terms of security, country, economy.” With this escalating responsibility, operators must adopt more integrated, intelligence-driven models for physical security and cyber protection. 

What the future looks like 

The path forward lies in convergence between cyber and physical systems, automation and human oversight and internal policies and externally driven regulation. To remain resilient, data centres will need to implement secure-by-design architectures, AI-enhanced threat detection and more unified OT and physical security operations. 

We continue to support operators across the UK and beyond in strengthening their data centre security posture, helping them meet both current and emerging requirements for critical infrastructure protection. 

To find out how we deliver impactful outcomes for data centre clients, get in touch with us at hello@oryxalign.com.