Australia Eyes CDNs, Cloud for Critical Infrastructure Law Overhaul
An independent review of Australia's Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 (SOCI Act) calls for major legislative changes to reduce complexity and shift from a compliance-driven model to one focused on demonstrable outcomes. Published on March 25, 2026, the report recommends harmonizing the act with other regulations and strengthening enforcement. The review also identifies AI services, hyperscale cloud providers, and content delivery networks as areas for potential future inclusion and sector-specific guidance.
Key Takeaways
- The report recommends shifting from document-based compliance to a penalty-backed risk management model with stronger enforcement.
- A key proposal is harmonizing the SOCI Act with other regulations, such as privacy and financial sector rules, to reduce duplication for operators.
- The review explicitly identified AI services, hyperscale cloud providers, and content delivery networks as areas for future examination and potential inclusion under the act.
- It calls for better regulatory guidance through plain-language examples and templates to improve consistency across sectors.
Why It Matters
This review signals that streaming infrastructure providers in Australia could face new regulatory burdens. The report flags CDNs, hyperscale cloud, and AI services for potential future inclusion under national security laws, recommending a shift from compliance paperwork to demonstrable operational resilience. This aligns with a global regulatory trend of viewing core digital infrastructure as critical, potentially forcing providers to reassess risk and operational models in the region. The key signal to watch is the Australian Government's formal response and how any subsequent legislation specifically defines these services for regulatory scope.
Read full article at gtlaw.com.au
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