Martin Wegrostek, cyber security portfolio manager at managed IT specialist OryxAlign, explores how MSPs can adapt to the UK Cyber Security Resilience Bill and build resilient systems that still move with industry developments.
Business continuity today relies on digital infrastructure, whether it’s core cloud systems or advanced AI monitoring. Now, the UK’s Cyber Security & Resilience Bill will test how effectively managed service providers (MSPs) adapt to regulatory scrutiny. Designed to strengthen national defences and bring MSPs a formal oversight, the bill marks a decisive shift in cyber accountability.
Cyber security continues to be a pressing matter for businesses. In 2025, 43% of businesses reported some kind of cyber breach or attack, which equated to about 612,000 UK businesses, according to government figures. While it is a decrease from 2024’s 50%, the current figures warrant a ramp up in cybersecurity legislation to minimise risk during a new digital age.
The Cyber Security & Resilience Bill implements EU Network and Information Security style cybersecurity regulations across a wider range of digital service providers. It includes faster breach reporting and stronger supply chain assurance through designated ‘Critical Suppliers’. For smaller MSPs, the changes have a stronger impact. Cybersecurity measures become a legal obligation, demanding readiness and proof of resilience rather than just intent. But how do MSPs respond without constant complications?
Begin with incident response
Tighter reporting timelines under the bill require swift action from MSPs. Once an incident is detected, alerts must move quickly through regulatory channels, ideally within 24 hours for early warnings and 72 hours for incident reports. This requires MSPs to have response plans rehearsed and documented, not buried in theoretical practice. Plans include every decision path, escalation trigger and communication steps precisely orchestrated to meet the Bill’s requirements concerning timing and traceability.
Automation will play a critical role in this process. Integrated alerting and workflow tools like remote monitoring and management and professional services automation can be used to raise potential incidents and escalate where necessary. Reporting then occurs after detection and audit integrity is not compromised. But this should still be paired with human coordination and engineers should be responsible for accurate judgement on these alerts.
Incident response times determine how regulatory bodies assess an MSP’s readiness. Every response in this case should have a clear footprint detailing who acted on the alerts and when, creating the accountability needed to stand up to more rigorous regulations. While these obligations do carry pressure, they also offer an opportunity for MSPs to refine cybersecurity operations. By demonstrating speed in response time and structure in its follow up actions, MSPs will build confidence not only with regulators but also clients who depend on service continuity.
Securing safety in supply
It’s not only individual MSPs that may feel pressures, as adhering to the bill depends on the whole supply chain. If one supplier has poor cybersecurity controls, this weakness could expose organisations that rely on its services.
The cyberattack on Marks & Spencer last April shows the scale of disruption from supply chain fragility. The retailer lost an estimated £300 million in profit with over a month of disruption after the attack, after a hacker group used phishing to gain access to company files through a third party vendor.
As part of the UK Cyber Security & Resilience Bill, regulators will expect MSPs to prove that their critical suppliers meet cyber security standards like ISO27001 for information security or government-backed cyber essentials. To secure visibility, MSPs are encouraged to share evidence of compliance as well as monitoring which suppliers meet these standards. Documentation also needs to match the vendors practices, with active assurance given on incident response performance through meetings and test results that are audited.
Visibility tools also make this process smoother. These software platforms work by collecting supplier data from questionnaire responses, certifications and incident history to determine a risk score. They also alert businesses when a vendor’s status changes, meaning that MSPs will be informed with the latest details enabling them to stay ahead with their cybersecurity measures.
As an MSP, OryxAlign uses its own technical and regulatory experience to support organisations across multiple sectors in refining their cybersecurity resilience. This includes aligning practices with changing standards like the Cyber Security & Resilience Bill. Services span across IT strategy, network management and cloud technology, approaching projects with governance in mind to ensure scalable digital infrastructure that is trustworthy.
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will not be the UK’s final say on digital infrastructure legislation and governance will continue to change while cyberattacks remain a prominent threat. For MSPs, successfully meeting new regulations will depend on readiness and visibility. While these requirements test smaller providers, those that invest early in a structured response plan and clear supplier assurance will be prepared with future-proof methods as digital infrastructure continues to change.
