Upcoming cybersecurity regulations in Europe, while addressing specific needs and sectors, do have areas of overlap, particularly in terms of fundamental principles and requirements. Understanding these overlaps can help organizations streamline compliance efforts and avoid redundancy. CyberUpgrade was designed to ensure that customers benefit strongly from the convergence of different standards and regulations. Streamline compliance for DORA, NIS2 and ISO27001 in one effort with CyberUpgrades’ CISO Copilot.
Here’s a closer look at how some key regulations overlap with each other:
Key Areas of Overlap
1. Risk Management
- NIS2 Directive: Requires organizations to adopt risk management practices for network and information systems, with a focus on identifying, assessing, and mitigating cybersecurity risks.
- DORA: Mandates financial entities to implement comprehensive ICT risk management frameworks to handle risks arising from digital operations.
- Cyber Resilience Act: Focuses on ensuring digital products and services are designed with robust cybersecurity measures, including risk management throughout the product lifecycle.
2. Incident Reporting
- NIS2 Directive: Enhances incident reporting requirements, including standardized criteria for reporting significant incidents to national authorities.
- DORA: Requires standardized procedures for reporting major ICT-related incidents to competent authorities, ensuring timely response and remediation.
- GDPR: Obligates organizations to report data breaches involving personal data within 72 hours of discovery.
3. Third-Party Risk Management
- NIS2 Directive: Emphasizes the importance of managing risks from third-party service providers, especially those providing essential services.
- DORA: Includes specific requirements for managing ICT third-party risks, ensuring service providers comply with resilience standards.
- Cyber Resilience Act: Imposes requirements on manufacturers and suppliers to manage vulnerabilities and ensure the security of digital products and services provided to customers.
4. Security by Design and by Default
- GDPR: Requires data protection by design and by default, ensuring that privacy and security are integrated into products and services from the outset.
- Cyber Resilience Act: Mandates that digital products and services be designed with cybersecurity as a core component, addressing vulnerabilities and ensuring secure development practices.
- AI Act: Imposes requirements for high-risk AI systems to incorporate robust security measures during design and development.
5. Resilience Testing
- NIS2 Directive: Encourages regular testing and assessment of security measures to ensure their effectiveness.
- DORA: Mandates regular digital operational resilience testing, including advanced methods like threat-led penetration testing for critical entities.
- Cyber Resilience Act: Requires manufacturers to conduct security assessments and tests on digital products to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
Specific Regulatory Focus
While there are overlaps, each regulation also has its specific focus areas:
- NIS2 Directive: Broadly covers multiple sectors, emphasizing improved cooperation and comprehensive cybersecurity practices.
- DORA: Specifically targets the financial sector, focusing on ICT resilience, third-party risk management, and incident reporting within this industry.
- Cyber Resilience Act: Concentrates on the security of digital products and services across all sectors, ensuring they are secure by design.
- GDPR: Primarily focuses on the protection of personal data, imposing strict requirements on data processing and breach notification.
- AI Act: Addresses the safe and ethical use of AI, with specific requirements for high-risk AI systems, including security measures.
- EU Data Act: Aims to regulate data access and sharing, ensuring data protection and promoting a competitive data market.
Harmonizing Compliance Efforts
To effectively manage these overlapping regulations, organizations can adopt an integrated approach:
- Unified Risk Management Framework: Develop a comprehensive risk management strategy that aligns with the requirements of multiple regulations.
- Centralized Incident Reporting Mechanism: Establish a centralized system for incident reporting that meets the criteria of various regulations.
- Third-Party Risk Management Program: Implement a robust third-party risk management program that ensures compliance with all relevant regulations.
- Security by Design Principles: Integrate security by design principles into the development process for all products and services.
- Regular Resilience Testing: Conduct regular testing and assessments to ensure compliance with resilience and security requirements.
By recognizing the overlaps and unique aspects of each regulation, organizations can streamline their compliance efforts, reduce redundancy, and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.
Related articles:
Upcoming / evolving cyber security regulations in European Union
What is cyber security framework
