Europe should have state-controlled cloud services, aerospace chief
Roberto Cingolani, Leonardo CEO, said ‘it is one of the key issues of our future’.
The CEO of aerospace, defence and security company, Leonardo, has emphasised the critical need for government-controlled cloud services in Italy and Europe, particularly for storing sensitive data.
In a recent address to the defence committee of the Italian lower house of parliament, Roberto Cingolani said the issue is paramount to the future of data security in the region.
At present, many European governments rely on data centres operated by major tech corporations such as Amazon whose cloud computing division recently launched a European Sovereign Cloud service catering to European businesses and governments.
"In my opinion, a safe country needs a government cloud, at least for financial, health and defence data," Cingolani said, as reported by Reuters.
Cingolani stressed the importance of establishing a national government cloud as a foundational step, particularly for securing financial, health and defence-related data. He highlighted the urgency of transitioning these national government clouds into a broader European framework, underlining the necessity for European government clouds and calling it "one of the key issues of our future".
The CEO also expressed concerns about the long-term implications of utilising privately owned data centres, warning that future shifts in ownership dynamics could potentially compromise data security. Referring to the possibility of a future owner's instability impacting data management, he cautioned against over-reliance on private entities.
Under the umbrella of a consortium including Telecom Italia, the Italian state lender CDP, and state-owned IT firm Sogei, Leonardo presently provides cloud services to the Italian government. Cingolani's previous statement in July about the company's intentions to prioritise cybersecurity, especially within the defence sector, aligns with this latest advocacy for enhanced data protection measures.
The upcoming presentation of Leonardo's new industrial plan in March is anticipated to shed further light on the company's strategic vision for bolstering cybersecurity initiatives.
As the call for secure cloud services gains momentum, the discourse around the role of state-controlled cloud infrastructure in ensuring data integrity continues to evolve.
The EU's privacy watchdog the EDPB initiated a comprehensive investigation last year, scrutinising the public sector's reliance on cloud-based services.
In the UK, Ofcom is recommending an investigation into cloud providers on competition grounds.
Meanwhile, European technology companies and cloud providers have been calling for a more level playing field in an area dominated by US tech giants.