Introducing Critical Infrastructure Sectors: Digital Infrastructure

Electricity powers machines, water sustains life, but today data powers society. Digital infrastructure creates an invisible network that connects citizens, businesses, and public institutions, enabling the functioning of nearly every modern service. There are systems we do not see, yet without them communication, banking services, healthcare, and state operations would come to a halt within minutes. Digital infrastructure has therefore become not only a technological foundation of the modern economy but also one of the most important pillars of national security and societal resilience.

Its importance has significantly increased in recent years due to the digitalization of public services, the development of cloud technologies, the growing volume of data, and the increasing dependence of critical sectors on electronic communication.

An average person performs hundreds of digital interactions every day – sending messages, paying by card, using navigation, logging into online banking, or browsing websites. Behind each of these actions lies a vast and highly complex digital infrastructure, the functioning of which most people only become aware of when it stops working. That is why digital infrastructure is increasingly referred to as the “infrastructure of infrastructures,” since nearly all other critical infrastructure sectors depend on its safe and continuous operation.

A failure of digital infrastructure today does not represent only a technical issue – it can have direct consequences for state security, economic stability, and the daily lives of millions of people.

Why Digital Infrastructure is Part of Critical Infrastructure

Digital infrastructure is a set of technologies, networks, and services through which the transmission, processing, storage, and exchange of information is ensured. It is a sector that connects all other critical infrastructure sectors and enables their safe and continuous operation.

According to the European Commission, more than 93% of EU citizens use the internet, and over 75% of companies use cloud services or data centers. Every day, hundreds of exabytes of data are transmitted worldwide, and billions of digital transactions are carried out.

In Slovakia, more than 90% of households use the internet regularly, and electronic communication networks cover virtually the entire territory of the country. Mobile networks serve more than 7 million active SIM cards, and the volume of transmitted data grows at a double-digit rate each year.

Digital infrastructure has become a fundamental condition for the functioning of the state, the economy, and everyday life. Its importance becomes especially evident in crisis situations, when it is necessary to ensure communication, coordination of emergency services, operation of energy systems, banking, or healthcare.

Central Government Authorities

The central state administration bodies for the Digital Infrastructure sector are:

Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic

Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic

National Security Authority

Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic

Their main activities in the area of critical infrastructure include:

• strategic management of digital transformation
• development and coordination of digitalization policies
• methodological guidance of critical infrastructure entities
• coordination of measures to increase the resilience of digital services
• ensuring continuity of essential digital services

Sub-sectors, Entities, and Essential Services of the Digital Infrastructure Sector

a) Public Administration Information Technologies

Entities:
Administrators and operators of public administration networks and information systems under special legislation (Act No. 95/2019 Coll., as amended).

Essential services:

• operation of central information infrastructure and central communication infrastructure
• management of government electronic communication systems
• services essential for supporting public administration functions

Central authority: Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic

b) Other Information Technologies

Entities and essential services include:

Internet exchange point providers (Act No. 69/2018 Coll., as amended)

• operation of internet exchange point service

  Central authority: Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic

DNS service providers

• provision of domain name system (DNS) services, excluding root name server services
  Central authority: National Security Authority

Top-level domain (TLD) administrators

• operation and administration of TLD domain registries
  Central authority: National Security Authority

Operators of systems related to the security of the Slovak Republic

• management and provision of special services
  Central authority: Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic

Cloud computing service providers (public sector)

• provision of cloud computing services
  Central authority: Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic

Cloud computing service providers (private sector)

• provision of cloud computing services
  Central authority: National Security Authority

Data center service providers (public sector)

• provision of data center services
  Central authority: Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic

Data center service providers (private sector)

• provision of data center services
  Central authority: National Security Authority

Content delivery network (CDN) providers

• provision of content delivery services
  Central authority: Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic

Trust service providers

• provision of trust services for electronic transactions
  Central authority: National Security Authority

Public electronic communications network providers

• provision of publicly available electronic communications networks
  Central authority: Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic

Electronic communications service providers

• provision of publicly available electronic communications services
  Central authority: Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic

The Digital Infrastructure sector consists of a broad network of public and private entities. These include telecommunications operators, data center operators, cloud service providers, internet service providers, technology companies, and operators of critical digital platforms.

Their activities can be divided into several core areas:

• ensuring internet connectivity
• operation of mobile and fixed communication networks
• data center management
• provision of cloud services
• operation of domain name systems
• monitoring and administration of information systems
• delivery of digital services for the public and private sectors
• support for cybersecurity and service continuity

These services form the foundation of the modern economy, public administration, and virtually all other critical infrastructure sectors.

The sector is characterized by an exceptionally high level of interconnection with other critical infrastructure sectors. Its functioning is essential for energy, transport, healthcare, financial systems, public administration, and security forces.

At the same time, it is the fastest-evolving sector among all critical infrastructure domains. New technologies, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and automation continuously increase demands for its security, resilience, and availability.

Risks in the Digital Infrastructure Sector

The risk profile of the sector consists of a combination of technological, security, and geopolitical threats.

Key risks include:

• cyberattacks
• ransomware incidents
• power outages
• data center failures
• cloud service disruptions
• disruption of international connectivity
• sabotage of communication networks
• shortage of qualified experts
• dependence on foreign technologies and suppliers

According to the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, the number of significant cyber incidents in Europe has increased by more than 300% in recent years. The costs of large-scale cyber incidents reach billions of euros annually, and their consequences can directly impact the functioning of the state and the provision of essential services.

Role of the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic

The Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic supports entities operating in the Digital Infrastructure sector through expert consulting, education, and risk analysis.

Its activities include:

• support for the implementation of legislative requirements
• development of business continuity plans
• vulnerability analysis
• crisis management training
• support for cybersecurity
• linking the public and private sectors
• exchange of professional expertise

Digital infrastructure will be one of the decisive factors of state resilience in the coming years. Its importance will continue to grow with ongoing digitalization of society, the development of artificial intelligence, and the increasing dependence of critical services on electronic communication.

The future of a secure and resilient society will not be measured only by the number of technologies it uses, but above all by its ability to protect systems that we do not see, yet without which the modern world would come to a standstill.