The Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) is set to be the most comprehensive cyber security directive yet. It covers 15 different sectors and comes into effect in the UK on 17 October 2024.
The directive aims to harmonise cyber security requirements and their enforcement across member states by setting a benchmark of ‘minimum measures,’ which includes risk assessments, policies and procedures for cryptography, security procedures for employees with access to sensitive data, multi-factor authentication, and cyber security training. It also directs companies to create a plan for handling and reporting security incidents, as well as managing business operations during and after a security incident.
While introducing baseline cyber security measures for organisations in targeted sectors, NIS2 will focus more on supply chain and data security than all pre-existing legislation and control frameworks.
Strong data security strategy ready for NIS2
If you’re like most companies, you’re wondering whether your data security strategy will comply with the new Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2). Between remote work on more devices than ever and doing business in an increasingly interconnected world, you’re probably also wondering how you can comply, which will introduce increased expectations from businesses across data security. The good news is that we can support you in your journey.
Data Security is a formidable and evolving challenge
It’s bad enough when data breaches affect your business. It gets even worse when you add non-compliance to the equation. A proper data security strategy is a critical step for organisations that need to deploy AI securely and prevent oversharing.
Traditional data security demands are no longer effective
Today’s data security demands layers of protection to help safeguard your data wherever it lives – and those layers of security are already aligned with the measures NIS2 will require.
NIS2 requirements are complex, though meeting them doesn’t have to be
As a Microsoft technology partner, we help businesses like yours deploy fully integrated Microsoft Security solutions that provide end-to-end security coverage. You might not know that compliance and data governance are already built into the platform, which means we can help you implement security solutions engineered to prepare your organisation for NIS2.
Microsoft Security can provide a foundation to help you achieve NIS2 compliance
NIS2 builds on previous legislations like NIS1 and GDPR, though it adds many new requirements. For instance, organisations must now adopt a robust risk management strategy, timely incident reporting, the ability to scrutinise the supply chain, and maintenance of a complete inventory of all digital assets. Here are the main Microsoft Security solutions that can help:
Microsoft 365 fuses the capabilities of Office 365, Windows, and Enterprise Mobility + Security, providing a unified solution that addresses NIS2’s stringent requirements concerning security, compliance, and data governance. It delivers a unified experience for monitoring and managing security across the entire enterprise.
Azure Sentinel provides a holistic view of your organisation’s security posture with real-time analytics.
Microsoft Compliance Manager offers dynamic, actionable insights, enabling you to continually manage and improve your compliance posture.
Microsoft Purview enables end-to-end data protection, safeguarding all your data across platforms, apps, and clouds with comprehensive solutions for information protection, data governance, risk management, and compliance.