Europe's defence cloud reliance risks US 'kill switch,' think tank warns
Europe's defence cloud reliance risks US 'kill switch,' think tank warns
Most EU defence systems rely on US cloud services, think tank warns
A vast majority of EU countries rely on US cloud services for their national defence agencies, putting them at risk of a "kill switch" that shuts down service at any time.
A study by the Future of Technology Institute found that most European countries rely on US cloud services for national defence, putting them at risk of a “kill switch” that could shut down services. The study identified 16 high-risk countries and seven medium-risk countries, with Austria being the only one to shift away from US providers. While US companies offer “sovereign” cloud options within Europe, the study argues these are insufficient to mitigate the risk of sanctions.