New report warns of a high threat level to Norwegian data centres

The Norwegian National Security Authority (Nkom) believes that the country’s digital infrastructure is under threat and that security measures surrounding Norwegian data centres, in particular, must be strengthened.

An increasing number of critical services are dependent on Norwegian data centres, which makes them more vulnerable to incidents that threaten security.

This is according to the recent report NkomROS 2026, a risk and vulnerability analysis for the telecoms sector, which highlights hybrid threats to infrastructure security in Norway.

– The analysis underlines the seriousness of the situation Norway faces and reminds us of how vulnerable the digital infrastructure can be. We are becoming increasingly dependent on digital services, which makes a secure and robust infrastructure even more important. That is why digital security is a priority for the Government, says Torgeir Micaelsen, Minister for Digitalisation and Public Administration.

Data centres are becoming increasingly important

The report highlights that the data centre industry is less mature in terms of security than the rest of the established e-communications sector.

– It is the operators who are responsible for ensuring adequate security, and organisations must know what they need to protect, who has access to critical systems, and they must be prepared to deal with serious incidents,” says Nkom’s Director, John-Eivind Velure, according to Nkom’s press release.

He emphasises that those who use digital infrastructure services must also assess their dependencies and have contingency plans in place. The authorities’ follow-up is set out in the national security plan for digital infrastructure.

As part of the work on this security plan, Nkom is currently assessing the backup power supply at mobile network base stations. Most currently have a battery capacity of only two to four hours, and Nkom is considering whether there may be a need to increase this in future.

More sophisticated threats

The report explains that artificial intelligence (AI) is making the threats to what Nkom calls ‘the digital foundation’ more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence makes it easier for actors to identify vulnerabilities, automate attacks and carry out targeted operations.

– AI makes it easier to exploit digital vulnerabilities, even for actors who previously lacked the necessary expertise. The increased use of AI is therefore a double-edged sword; it can be a tool to protect us, but it also increases the cyber threat, says Velure.

He adds that AI can also be utilised to the benefit of the telecoms sector, for monitoring and fault analysis, and help ensure that security breaches are detected and dealt with more quickly.

The director nevertheless warns that increased use of AI creates new dependencies.

“This places greater demands on control and on understanding how AI-based decisions are made,” says Velure.

Small errors can have major consequences

The report also notes that common errors can have far-reaching consequences. Work on fixed and mobile networks takes place in technical environments where many systems are interconnected, and the whole system is becoming increasingly complex. Several suppliers may be involved.

Around three in four recorded faults are caused by power cuts and transmission failures. During severe storms, several parts of the infrastructure may be affected simultaneously, thereby increasing the severity of the consequences.