What Is NIS2?

The NIS2 Directive (Network Information Security) is a legislation that applies to EU member states. It aims to strengthen security measures, enhance incident reporting, expand the scope of regulation, and promote national supervision and cross-border collaboration. 

Key Challenges and Opportunities

While following stricter standards may require significant resource allocation, especially for smaller businesses or those newly affected, the directive presents opportunities for developing solutions related to compliance in the cybersecurity sector. 

How to Prepare for NIS2 Compliance

Preparing for NIS2 compliance involves several key steps to ensure that an organization meets the requirements outlined in the directive. Here's a general guide: 

1. Understanding requirements
Understand the new elements introduced, such as expanded compliance obligations. Determine whether your organization falls within the scope of the NIS2 Directive and identify potential gaps. 
For example, in the event of a breach, there are strict reporting timelines, necessitating early awareness, assessment, and final reporting. At the same time, larger organizations face added complexity due to the distributed nature of their digital infrastructure across multiple clouds and in-house data centers. Full visibility is thus essential for understanding activities in digital interfaces with customers, partners, and suppliers. 
To secure this intricate digital landscape in compliance with NIS2, businesses may require managed services spanning different cloud, computing, and networking environments. You can manage the pressure to meet NIS2 obligations without compromising customer and partner experiences thanks to centralized cloud-based solutions like F5 Distributed Cloud Services. 

2. Updating cybersecurity frameworks
Improve your cybersecurity frameworks according to NIS 2 standards by updating policies, adopting new security technologies, and improving internal controls. In terms of technology, there are four key components essential to secure the digital experience of modern enterprises, that you can find in the F5 Distributed Cloud WAAP solution: 
●  Web Application Firewall (WAF). It is a security solution that protects web applications from online threats. It operates as an intermediary between the web application and the client's browser, analyzing and filtering HTTP traffic to identify and block malicious activities. The F5 Advanced WAF offers protection against application-layer attacks, including those targeting APIs like GraphQL. It uses machine learning, threat intelligence, and deep application expertise to identify and block sophisticated attacks.. ● API Security. Organizations face the risk of cyber threats from malicious actors who try to exploit Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to cause a service outage or breach. The F5 Distributed Cloud offers automatic API discovery, that simplifies identification and mapping of API endpoints to any app, to help you effectively observe, refine, and maintain API security.. ● Bot Defense. Such mechanisms are crucial for maintaining the integrity, availability, and security of online platforms. By using the F5 platform’s telemetry, network intelligence, and AI/ML with human analysis you can detect and prevent different types of bot-related threats like credential stuffing and account takeover.. ● DDoS Mitigation. Mitigation techniques often include traffic filtering, rate limiting, and the use of specialized cloud-based services to absorb and distribute the attack traffic. The F5 Distributed Cloud offers comprehensive protection and network-level shielding, along with features that ensure security against spoofed and malformed traffic, and other forms of abuse that aim to overload web properties and apps. 

3. Employee training and awareness
Cybersecurity education is crucial for creating a culture of security within the organization. Train employees in cybersecurity best practices and ensure awareness of the NIS2 compliance requirements to reduce the risk of human error. 

4. Regular audits and improvement
Regular audits provide a systematic and thorough examination of an organization's cybersecurity practices, ensuring that they align with the requirements outlined in the directive. Here's how regular audits can contribute to NIS2 compliance: 
● Assess the effectiveness of your security measures to identify areas that may need improvement. ● Uncover vulnerabilities in the organization's network and information systems. ● Prepare documentation to demonstrate your organization has taken the necessary steps to regulatory authorities. ● Verify the effectiveness of your incident response plans. ● Assess the cybersecurity practices of external entities in the supply chain. ● Provide a mechanism for continuous improvement.  

5. Expert consultation
Consider seeking advice from cybersecurity experts or legal advisors specializing in EU regulations for nuanced guidance on compliance. Since the F5’s portfolio can deliver robust app protection and help comply with NIS, you can consult our engineers by sending an email to moc.hcetokab%405f. 

Final Thoughts

Compared to the previous NIS Directive, NIS2 includes additional industries, such as food, space, and public administration, with more rigorous security and reporting requirements and strengthened enforcement mechanisms. 
Adhering to stricter cybersecurity standards can be challenging, especially for smaller entities, as it may require significant resource allocation. However, сloud-based solutions like F5 Distributed Cloud Services help manage the pressure to meet obligations without compromising experiences. 
If you want to fix any gaps and secure an infrastructure that complies with all NIS2 requirements on time, get a free consultation where we can discuss F5 capabilities and how they help reach your goal.