NIS2
Don't Let NIS2 Catch Your Clients Off Guard: Leverage Compliance Scorecard to Get Ahead
The NIS2 deadline is fast approaching, and it’s set to reshape the European cybersecurity landscape. This new EU Directive introduces sweeping changes to compliance requirements, threatening to cause chaos among covered entities — but there’s a path to success. With Compliance Scorecard and a little foresight, you can be your clients’ NIS2 compliance champion.
Compliance Scorecard is your go-to platform for NIS2 preparation and continuous compliance management. Equipped with our assessment scorecards, policy packs, reporting features, and 20+ integrations, our platform empowers MSPs to expertly guide their clients through a complex compliance journey. Saving the day means getting started now – so here’s everything you need to know.
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NIS2 Notable Changes You Must Be Aware Of
Scope
NIS2 significantly expands its predecessor's reach. It now covers large organizations in 11 critical sectors, as well as medium-sized entities in seven highly critical areas. This is a major increase from NIS1, which applied to only seven sectors. While small businesses are mostly excluded, Member States may require small businesses with high-risk security profiles to comply.
Cybersecurity Measures
NIS2 focuses on a risk-based approach to cybersecurity. While no specific controls are defined, Article 21 provides 10 risk management measures that apply to all covered entities. These measures include risk management policies, incident response plans, business continuity strategies, supply chain security, secure system development, vulnerability management, basic cyber hygiene, cryptography, human resources security, and multifactor authentication.
Supervision & Sanctions
NIS1 enforcement was weak. In contrast, NIS2 establishes supervisory powers and penalties that Member States are obliged to enforce. Non-monetary penalties include compliance orders and binding instructions, while administrative fines are set at €10,000,000 for essential entities and €7,000,000 for important entities. Member States can also impose criminal sanctions in cases of gross negligence.
Management Training & Liability
NIS2 mandates that management bodies, including senior management and executive leadership, take responsibility for cybersecurity initiatives. Management is required to actively participate in their organizations’ cybersecurity programs, including overseeing risk assessment and risk treatment, as well as attending risk awareness training. Should a cyber incident occur due to their negligence, management may be held criminally liable.
Supply Chain Security
NIS2 places a strong emphasis on supply chain security, recognizing the critical role of third-party vendors in an organization's overall security posture. Covered entities are responsible for assessing and managing the risks associated with their supply chain, which requires auditing suppliers and vendors, establishing security standards and practices in contracts, and regular monitoring of those security measures. This means that businesses falling outside the scope of the Directive may be required to comply.
Incident Reporting
NIS2 establishes a stringent process for reporting cyber incidents. Covered entities must report potentially severe operational or financial disruptions within 24 hours of discovery. Updates are required at 72 hours, with a final report due one month post-incident. The Directive specifies the content required for each stage of reporting.
Ready to Become Your Clients’ NIS2 Compliance Champion? Enter Compliance Scorecard.
- Risk assessment and prioritization: Use our Risk Matrix Scorecard to identify vulnerabilities and develop an informed mitigation strategy, ensuring clients address the most critical tasks first.
- Policy and process documents: We have expertly-written policy templates for everything NIS2 asks of covered entities, including incident response, access control, and security policies.
- Foster a culture of compliance: Creating policies doesn’t get them implemented, but we facilitate the adoption process with tracking, versioning, and tools for ensuring sign-off from the highest levels of management.
- Third-party vendor management: Use scorecards to assess the cybersecurity posture of your clients' third-party vendors, ensuring that they meet NIS2 requirements.
- Continuous monitoring: Get real-time insights into compliance status and address issues proactively.
- Be audit ready: When regulators ask for documentation, generate reports with one click and access all your compliance documents from one central repository.
- Integration with existing tools: Compliance Scorecard integrates with popular MSP apps and software, streamlining workflows and providing a centralized view of compliance data.
- Update as needed: Continuous compliance means reassessing the controls you put in place, which is why we update our frameworks as needed and help you set a regular review cadence, so noncompliance is never an issue.
- Streamlined compliance: With everything you need to implement and manage a NIS2 program in one place, duplicating the process for other clients is easy and efficient.
Ready to Become Your Clients’ NIS2 Compliance Champion? Enter Compliance Scorecard.
- Risk assessment and prioritization: Use our Risk Matrix Scorecard to identify vulnerabilities and develop an informed mitigation strategy, ensuring clients address the most critical tasks first.
- Policy and process documents: We have expertly-written policy templates for everything NIS2 asks of covered entities, including incident response, access control, and security policies.
- Foster a culture of compliance: Creating policies doesn’t get them implemented, but we facilitate the adoption process with tracking, versioning, and tools for ensuring sign-off from the highest levels of management.
- Third-party vendor management: Use scorecards to assess the cybersecurity posture of your clients' third-party vendors, ensuring that they meet NIS2 requirements.
- Continuous monitoring: Get real-time insights into compliance status and address issues proactively.
- Be audit ready: When regulators ask for documentation, generate reports with one click and access all your compliance documents from one central repository.
- Integration with existing tools: Compliance Scorecard integrates with popular MSP apps and software, streamlining workflows and providing a centralized view of compliance data.
- Update as needed: Continuous compliance means reassessing the controls you put in place, which is why we update our frameworks as needed and help you set a regular review cadence, so noncompliance is never an issue.
- Streamlined compliance: With everything you need to implement and manage a NIS2 program in one place, duplicating the process for other clients is easy and efficient.
Get Clients On Board with NIS2 Compliance Services
A number of NIS2 provisions make it clear that noncompliance is no longer an option, but avoiding penalties is not the only impetus for complying. NIS2’s risk-based approach to cybersecurity is part of a larger trend, and it’s one that safeguards businesses. Still have clients on the fence? Here’s how to explain the importance of NIS2.
Regulatory Compliance
NIS2 establishes mandatory fines, gives supervisory authorities the power to enforce penalties, and holds management liable for gross negligence. Complying with the Directive shields your clients from those consequences, which can significantly impact their business success.
Avoid Criminal Liability
Even if your client has acquired cyber liability insurance, it doesn’t get their management off the hook. Avoiding criminal liability for cyber incidents requires your client’s management team to oversee the cybersecurity program and undergo risk awareness training.
Enhance Business Opportunities
Covered entities will be looking for suppliers and vendors that take cybersecurity seriously, because they’re required to do so under the Directive. Clients who actively enhance their cybersecurity posture open the door to new contracts – and those who ignore it, risk losing them.
Cost Savings
The cost of hiring an MSP to implement and manage a NIS2 compliance program is significantly less than the cost of a cyber incident and remediation effort, or the penalties and fines that come with noncompliance.
Be Proactive
NIS2 is one of many cybersecurity and privacy frameworks to impact Europe in recent years. There’s an obvious trend toward enhanced cybersecurity, and proactive businesses recognize that compliance is a strategic investment in their future success.
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