The NIS2 Directive (Network and Information Security Directive 2) is the new European regulatory framework dedicated to cybersecurity and the resilience of information systems. It was created with the aim of strengthening organizations’ ability to prevent, manage and respond to cyber incidents that may compromise operations, services and business continuity.
In recent years, ransomware, supply chain attacks and disruptions to digital services have made cyber risk an increasingly strategic issue for companies. NIS2 therefore introduces a more structured approach to information security, proportionate to the level of risk and the role of the organization.
Why NIS2 concerns an increasing number of companies
NIS2 does not only affect large critical infrastructures or multinational companies. More and more SMEs, software houses, manufacturing companies, MSPs and IT providers may be directly or indirectly involved, especially if they operate within complex digital supply chains.
Today, clients and partners require greater attention to cybersecurity, business continuity and cyber risk management. For this reason, many companies are starting to assess their level of IT maturity not only for regulatory reasons, but also to strengthen their reliability in the market.
Beyond compliance: security as a business process
One of the key aspects of NIS2 is the shift from a purely technical view of cybersecurity to an integrated and continuous approach.
Information security no longer concerns only the IT department, but also involves governance, organization, business continuity and supplier management. Policies, procedures and controls must be truly integrated into business processes.
The regulation is also based on the principle of proportionality: the required measures must be consistent with the organization’s size, risks and critical areas.
Managing cyber risk in a structured way
NIS2 places particular emphasis on the ability to identify and manage cyber risk in a structured way.
The most relevant aspects include:
- protection of information systems
- access management
- monitoring of security events
- backup and business continuity
- supplier security
- incident response
Many organizations adopt frameworks such as NIST CSF or ISO/IEC 27001 to develop progressive and sustainable improvement paths.
Incident management and reporting
The ability to manage a cyber incident quickly is one of the key points of NIS2.
The regulation requires internal processes that make it possible to identify, assess and manage significant incidents within short timeframes. This involves defining roles, responsibilities, escalation processes and communication procedures.
Incident response depends not only on technology, but also on the organization’s preparedness and on coordination between management, operational teams and technology partners.
Management involvement in cybersecurit
NIS2 introduces greater management involvement in cyber risk management.
Cybersecurity is considered a matter of governance and business continuity, not just a technical issue. Management bodies must therefore develop greater awareness of cyber risks and support decisions that are consistent with the company’s operational context.
The goal is not to turn management into a technical team, but to promote a more structured and informed approach to information security.
The organizations most frequently involved
The sectors most frequently affected by NIS2 include:
- healthcare
- energy
- transport
- digital infrastructures
- ICT services
- banking
- manufacturing
- public administration
Smaller companies may also be involved, especially when they operate as suppliers or partners of organizations subject to more structured security requirements.
Suppliers, partners and supply chain
One of the most relevant aspects of NIS2 concerns supply chain security.
Many cyber incidents originate from vulnerabilities found in suppliers, third-party software or managed services. For this reason, companies are paying greater attention to the management of external access, partners’ business continuity and the monitoring of risks related to the digital supply chain.
In this case too, the required measures must be proportionate to the level of risk and to the organization’s operational context.
Final considerations
NIS2 represents an important evolution in the way companies approach cybersecurity and digital risk management.
For many organizations, the issue is not only about regulatory compliance, but also about reliability, business continuity and corporate resilience.
Adopting a structured and proportionate approach allows companies to address cybersecurity in a progressive and sustainable way, improving governance, risk management and incident response capabilities.