The last quarter of 2024 marks an important regulatory shift in the cybersecurity space. The EU’s Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) is designed to reinforce threat management and incident reporting. For European businesses, October is the deadline for the adoption and implementation of this initiative.
This is just the beginning of the rapidly evolving cybersecurity compliance frameworks that businesses in Europe will need to adapt to. For example, the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), which aims to strengthen IT security for financial firms, will start being enforced in January 2025.
While all of the recent regulatory initiatives - the EU CRA (EU Cyber Resilience Act), NIS2 and DORA - are rightly in place, there’s a significant risk of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) reducing compliance to a procedural formality. Treating new regulation as a ticking box exercise would undermine its true purpose for both MSPs and the companies that they serve.
Meeting minimum requirements can be easy to accomplish but how can MSPs avoid this route to ensure that compliance adds real value to their security posture and that of vendors?
Threatening Critical Infrastructure
Globally, numerous industries are facing growing threats from hackers infiltrating critical infrastructure organisations like water, healthcare, and banking.
Recently, we've also seen public network vulnerabilities in the UK, with cyberattacks targeting Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail. And in January, Russian hackers breached the Australian government’s systems, stealing 2.5 million documents.
The progressive vulnerability of critical infrastructure has driven legislation to become increasingly stringent, pushing MSPs to help vendors strengthen their cybersecurity defences. This requires a strategic approach to cybersecurity, with proactive measures tailored to counter modern cyber threats. For example, MSPs must be ready to address more uncommon vulnerabilities such as sub-zero-day exploits, which allow attackers to gain access and control over key assets.
Disruptions to critical infrastructure can threaten national security and restrict access to essential services such as electricity, food, and water. Given these high-stakes consequences, MSPs cannot afford to merely go through the motions of compliance. Instead, they should focus on adding value by offering IT products that strengthen security and make vendor systems more resilient to attacks. This added value comes through early detection and prevention strategies.
Cultivating Good Digital Hygiene
Taking a proactive approach focuses on protection and monitoring of critical data, rather than merely meeting minimum compliance standards. The first step towards a proactive cyber posture revolves around maintaining digital hygiene. This includes using technologies the way they are intended, continuously monitoring their systems to detect issues, and collecting forensic data.
Embracing a robust TDIR (Threat Detection, Incident Response) allows MSPs to focus on early detection which is critical for a swift response time and reducing a potential impact of a breach. As threats become more sophisticated, TDIR provides the agility required to adapt to evolving cyber tactics and stay ahead of emerging vulnerabilities.
Cross-Border Collaboration
By extending requirements for industries globally, the NIS2 directive presents an opportunity to broaden collaboration between intelligence agencies and law enforcement. A key aspect of this collaboration is the exchange of information between industries on a global scale. For instance, water companies worldwide should be sharing insights on cyber incidents and remediation strategies, rather than limiting these exchanges to their own regions. This global knowledge-sharing can enhance the collective response to cyber threats and lead to more resilient infrastructure across borders.
MSPs are well positioned to facilitate this global collaboration, enabling cost-effective communication that’s safe. As MSPs provide around-the-clock support, deploying this service lends itself to enhanced transparency of IT systems. Additionally, having centralised management of IT systems through one provider supports increased visibility for teams accessing sensitive data from different locations. This enhances threat and detection monitoring capabilities, minimising risk. Lastly, the collaboration also helps to streamline compliance by standardising IT processes across global teams.
Final Word
With new regulations in place, businesses across Europe must now integrate these rules into their operational frameworks. But while initiatives like NIS2, GDPR, DORA, and the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) are designed to strengthen cybersecurity, true cybersecurity resilience requires more.
MSPs should focus on embedding these regulatory frameworks into their security strategies in a way that genuinely enhances their defence mechanisms. By going beyond basic compliance and proactively addressing evolving threats, MSPs can ensure that these regulatory initiatives not only fulfil their intended purpose but also add real, lasting value to their organisation.
