The NIS 2 Directive: What companies need to know

The NIS 2 Directive is a European Union regulation that aims to improve and harmonise cyber security within the EU. The directive will soon be transposed into German law. Now is the right time to familiarise yourself with the requirements and take action.

Scope of the NIS 2 Directive
The NIS 2 Directive extends its scope and now covers a wider range of sectors. Not only companies in the energy, transport, banking and healthcare sectors are affected. Digital infrastructure and other critical services could also fall under the regulation. Use the BSI questionnaire to quickly check whether your company is covered.

The status quo of your IT security
A key requirement of the NIS 2 directive is to increase IT security. Companies must review their current security precautions and ensure that they fulfil the new requirements. This includes securing networks and systems against cyber attacks and implementing suitable measures to detect and defend against threats. 

Targeted improvements and hardening
In order to fulfil the requirements of the NIS 2 directive, companies should improve their IT security measures in a targeted manner. The recommended measures include

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Introduction for access to critical systems 
• Regular security audits: To ensure systems are compliant
• Employee training: Cybersecurity training to raise awareness within the organisation
• Advanced monitoring and detection systems: For early detection and defence against cyber attacks

In addition, there are a number of other precautions that companies should consider:

• Policies: Concepts for risk analysis and security for information systems 
• Incident management: Detecting, analysing, containing and responding to incidents 
• Business Continuity: Backup management, crisis management and disaster recovery 
• Supply Chain: Increasing security in the supply chain 
• Purchasing and development: Security in the acquisition, development and maintenance of IT systems, including management and disclosure of vulnerabilities 
• Effectiveness: Regular evaluation of risk management measures 
• Cyber hygiene: Regular updates and maintenance of the systems 
• Cryptography: Use of cryptography and encryption where necessary 
• Personnel security and access control: Ensure that only authorised persons have access to critical systems 
• Authentication: Introduction of continuous or multi-factor authentication 
• Secure communication: Ensuring secure voice, video and text communication, even in an emergency 

These measures help to strengthen your organisation's IT security and ensure that it complies with the requirements of the NIS 2 directive.

Support from TSO-DATA
The NIS 2 Directive will make a decisive contribution to increasing cyber security in the EU. TSO-DATA is at your side with its expertise to carry out a well-founded assessment of your current IT security situation. As an experienced Microsoft partner, we offer you comprehensive solutions that effectively protect your systems and data. Contact us to find out more about our services and make your IT future-proof.

TSO-DATA GmbH
Marvin Hitzfeld | +49 (541) 1395-94
Jannis Wolke-Hanenkamp | +49 (541) 1395-14
it-infrastruktur[at]tso[dot]de