Navigating NIS2 Compliance

How Cyber Range Technology Can Help Critical Infrastructure Organizations Meet EU Cyber Security Regulations.

Cyber attacks and cybersecurity threats have become one of the most common significant risks to businesses and governments over the last couple of years. 

In order to make sure that companies are ready to take action against such challenges, the European Union (EU) has introduced the NIS2 Directive, which is legislation aiming to improve the cybersecurity sector around the EU.  

EU-based companies should start using different tools to comply with the requirement of this directive. One of the most effective tools is cyber range technology, which can help companies detect and mitigate cyber-attacks. 

In this report, we will dive deep into the NIS2 Directive, talk about challenges from organizations, and discuss the benefits of using cyber range technology to comply with this directive.

What Is the NIS2 Directive?

Simply put, the NIS2 compliance is the legislation on cyber security that provides legal measures to improve the level of this sector within the European Union. 

The goal is to enhance the security of networks and information systems all around the EU’s member states. This way, operators are required to put together services and critical infrastructure to implement security measures and report incidents to the authorities. 

It is important to note that cyber security threats, such as cyber-attacks or cybercrime on different important infrastructures, are increasing in both frequency and complexity, and they can cause major damage to individuals, businesses, and governments. 

That’s why it is critical to have this kind of directive in place – to ensure the stability and strength of economy and democracy among the member states of the European Union. 

What Are the NIS2 Compliance Requirements for Organizations?

According to the official website of the NIS2 Directive, there are four main requirements to comply with to ensure security on an organizational level:

Organizations need to take measures to minimize cyber risks. It includes enhanced network security, incident management, strong access control, and encryption.

Management must oversee, approve, and be prepared to address cyber risks when needed. Breaches might result in different penalties for management, which can potentially become a temporary ban from management roles. 

Important entities should have processes to report security incidents with a significant impact on their services. NIS2 can set notification deadlines, such as a 24-hour warning. 

Organizations should have a plan to show how they ensure business continuity in case of major cyber incidents. It is important to include considerations about system recovery, emergency procedures, and having a crisis response team. 

What Challenges Do Organizations Face When Attempting to Comply With NIS2?

To uncover the challenges organizations face when complying with NIS2, we must understand which organizations are affected by this directive in the first place. 

Businesses that operate in the EU and provide digital services or critical infrastructure are subject to the requirements of the NIS2 Directive. 

So, the first challenge for companies, in this case, is to implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to assess risks connected to the security of their network and information systems. 

In addition, NIS2 Directive compliance requires companies to implement a comprehensive API (Application Programming Interface) security program, which includes different measures such as authorization, authentication, encryption, and monitoring. 

In this case, the challenge is properly implementing additional security controls to ensure that only authorized parties can access the APIs. Companies also must report security incidents to the authorities. 

Challenges for organizations, in regards to NIS2, may vary from sector to sector as well. For example, in the Energy Sector, key challenges can be supply chain risks, aging technologies, and interconnected systems. 

At the same time, in other sectors, such as Transportation, key challenges to tackle might be Ransomware Attacks, Limited Security Investments, or Employee Training. On the other hand, organizations from the Finance Sector face challenges such as Phishing Attacks, Web-based attacks, or Social Engineering Attacks. 

So, while some challenges for organizations might be similar when complying with the NIS2 Directive, key challenges are still different and directly tied to the industry they operate in. Those industries include Health, Space, Public Administration, Digital Infrastructure, Manufacturing, and more. 

Benefits of Using Cyber Range Technology for Complying With NIS2 Directive

Cyber range technology is an interactive environment where different cybersecurity professionals can learn how to mitigate cyber-attacks using the same equipment they will have on the job. 

On the other hand, the NIS2 Directive is the most comprehensive European cyber security directive yet. The primary objective is to increase the resilience of EU Member States by enforcing correct measures where needed. 

Therefore, it is important to have tools that can help organizations comply with this directive. Cyber Range technology can help organizations achieve results and enhance cyber resilience. 

The key benefits of using cyber range technology include:

Cyber range technology can help experience real-world threats in a safe environment. Thanks to the expanded scope of the directive and strengthened security requirements, the NIS2 Directive will increase the overall cyber security level in Europe.

Using Cyber Range technology for this process means less risk of cyber attacks and more preparation for organizations to respond to cyber threats. 

This directive gives more flexibility to the EU’s member states to cooperate with each other and encourages them to share information about cybersecurity incidents. 

Cyber range technology keeps employees and customers trained, enhancing even more effective communication. This will help everyone be up-to-date with details and more effective with cyber threats to improve resilience. 

One of the goals of NIS2 compliance is to promote the development of cybersecurity products and services that reflects the needs of the EU market. Cyber range technology helps companies scale up as they grow.

This pushes innovation in the cybersecurity industry and creates new business opportunities for everyone involved. 

It is safe to say that the NIS2 Directive is a noteworthy improvement in the cybersecurity field all across the EU, as it helps different businesses prepare for cyber attacks and develop a culture of security. 

Companies can take advantage of the cyber range technology to become compliant with NIS2 Directive rules. 

Examples of How Cyber Range Technology Can Help Companies Comply With NIS2 Directive Requirements

There are many examples where we can clearly see how cyber range technology can help organizations meet NIS2 compliance requirements. Different cases apply to different sectors, but they all serve the same goal to improve the cybersecurity sector.

Here are different examples:

This sector is an important contributor to innovation and progress. That’s why it can be a valuable target for cybercriminals to steal sensitive data and disrupt systems. Therefore, it is important to have specific cybersecurity requirements in place.

Universities use cyber range technology to comply with these requirements and conduct research in the most secure way possible so that they can assist different sectors in innovating in their field. 

Companies leverage the power of cyber ranges to test commercial products as well. For example, it can be used against malicious actors. The NIS2 Directive tells us about the importance of the manufacturing sector. It can be vital to use cyber range to comply with NIS2 rules. 

Data centers are becoming the backbone of the digital society. This growth in the IoT industry represents a new attack surface as well. The NIS2 Directive requires companies to have a high-level defense system, and cyber range technology can help with that. 

Conclusion – The Importance of the NIS2 Compliance

The NIS2 Directive is a major improvement when it comes to improving the cybersecurity field all across the EU. NIS2 compliance helps companies equip themselves and prepare for any possible cyber-attacks in the future. 

It will become more and more relevant for companies to take appropriate measures to comply with this directive, and it is important to have useful tools to achieve that. 

Cyber range technology is here to help and assist organizations all over the EU to comply with these rules and protect themselves from any kind of cyber threats against their company. Get in touch now.