In January 2023, the European Union (EU) member states enacted a significant revision of the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive, known as NIS2. This revision, responding to widespread cyber threats and attacks, introduces stricter cybersecurity requirements, enhanced reporting obligations, and more stringent enforcement measures. With all 27 EU member states mandated to incorporate NIS2 into their national laws by October 2024, organizations must prepare diligently to comply with these new regulations.

Understanding the Impact of NIS2

NIS2 extends its coverage to a broader range of industry sectors, encompassing essential entities like communications service providers, digital providers, food producers, manufacturers of critical products, and more. This expansion means that any entity falling into these designated sectors, irrespective of its location, must adhere to the revised directive.

The directive imposes more robust cybersecurity and risk management requirements, including incident handling, business continuity, crisis management, and supply chain security. Non-compliance can lead to severe penalties, with fines of up to EUR 10 million or 2% of annual turnover.

The Role of Identity Security

Central to NIS2 compliance is Identity Security, which offers a comprehensive approach to safeguarding organizations’ people, applications, and machines. Recognizing that any user—human or non-human—can become privileged and potentially penetrate systems, Identity Security focuses on continuously authenticating users, tightly controlling access, and closely monitoring user activity.

Partnering with AKAT and CyberArk for NIS2 Compliance

In navigating the complexities of NIS2 compliance, organizations can rely on the expertise and solutions offered by AKAT and CyberArk. With a deep understanding of the CyberArk portfolio, organizations can tailor comprehensive solutions, from Privileged Access Management to complete security suites, to not only meet but exceed NIS2 requirements.

Under the guidance of certified leading experts like Anna Hristova from AKAT, organizations can benefit from CyberArk’s solutions tailored to address specific NIS2 requirements. These solutions include policy-based management of administrative credentials, privileged session isolation, just-in-time access, endpoint privilege security, and centralized secrets management.

Take Action Today

As the deadline for NIS2 compliance approaches, organizations must take proactive steps to prepare. This includes identifying and assessing risks, evaluating security postures, safeguarding privileged access, strengthening ransomware defenses, adopting Zero Trust architectures, scrutinizing software supply chains, formalizing incident response plans, and enhancing cybersecurity awareness among employees.

Conclusion

NIS2 compliance is a critical endeavor for organizations operating within the EU, requiring a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity. Through the utilization of Identity Security solutions and strategic partnerships with trusted industry leaders like CyberArk organizations can fortify their cybersecurity posture, mitigate risks, and ensure compliance with NIS2 regulations.

By proactively addressing NIS2 compliance requirements and embracing Identity Security principles, organizations can defend critical infrastructure against malicious attacks, ransomware, software supply chain vulnerabilities, and other cyber threats. – I like this text

For a deeper understanding of how our expertise can safeguard your business against cyber threats, we invite you to reach out to our team, including certified expert Anna Hristova, at office@akat-t.com