Avoid NIS2 Penalties: Strategies for Better Cybersecurity
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
By October 17, 2024, EU member states must implement the new ‘Network and Information Security’ directive (NIS2). This NIS2 directive introduces significant changes to the cybersecurity and information security policy. Among other things, cybersecurity requirements for companies will become stricter, and penalties for non-compliance will be more extensive. This directive will apply throughout Europe, and the scope of NIS2 will expand to include companies and organizations in new sectors.
Increased Requirements and Severe Penalties
The heightened requirements for risk management and resilience require organizations to actively manage risks by implementing prevention and mitigation measures. These measures must reduce cybersecurity risks and their consequences. Non-compliance with NIS2 can lead to multimillion fines for the organization. Additionally, board members can be held personally liable if they are part of an organization that fails to meet the obligations under this directive.
It is thus crucial to optimally align your organization with this directive. In this blog, we focus on two practical ways to improve organizational cybersecurity and thus make a significant contribution to meeting the duty of care of the NIS2 directive.
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
Prevention: Create a Human Firewall
It is crucial to do everything possible to prevent cybersecurity incidents. Employees play a key role here as the first line of defense of an organization. Increasing cybersecurity awareness and promoting protective behavior are essential. This leads to the formation of a ‘human firewall,’ where employees are trained to recognize and handle threats, thereby becoming an active part of the security infrastructure and enhancing overall cybersecurity.
An effective way to achieve this is by repetitively bringing small amounts of cybersecurity information to the attention of employees. This ensures that information is actually remembered by your employees, which is far more effective than annual training. By continuously testing cybersecurity knowledge, the organization gains insight into the cybersecurity awareness among its staff at any time. Based on this, training can then be adjusted until the knowledge objectives are achieved.
Netpresenter plays an important role in strengthening this human firewall. Through omnichannel communication, information can be shared via PCs (Corporate Screensaver), TVs (Digital Signage), and smartphones (Employee App), training the entire organization daily on cybersecurity. Knowledge levels can be tested through quizzes. With Netpresenter Smart Campaigns, this whole process is automated. After setting up a campaign and corresponding knowledge goal, the Smart Campaigns train and test employees fully automatically. Based on the measured results, the training intensity is automatically adjusted until the set objectives are reached.
Response: Alert Everyone Immediately during an Incident
When a cyber incident occurs, it is crucial to alert everyone within the organization immediately to prevent further escalation. Alerting across various channels provides an effective solution. As such, warnings about the threat and required actions are spread in real-time throughout the entire organization. It is important not to use email during an incident, as email is often unreliable; it can be compromised, is susceptible to spoofing, or is simply overlooked.
Netpresenter enables organizations to alert their employees immediately through notifications and pop-ups. These alerts reach everyone, regardless of location, via TVs, PCs, and mobile devices. The alerts appear above all other applications, ensuring high visibility. By adding a confirmation button, organizations can check who has received and read the message and who has not. Employees who do not confirm the warning can be approached again with ‘attention boosters,’ until everyone has confirmed the warning.
Higher Cybersecurity Awareness at Sky Lakes Medical Center
Sky Lakes Medical Center uses Netpresenter to strengthen its defense against cyberattacks. By regularly sharing information on cybersecurity, Sky Lakes enhances its staff’s cybersecurity awareness, thus creating a human firewall. “Using Netpresenter for cybersecurity is a simple and efficient way to inform our employees about all security risks.” – John Gaede, Director of Information Services at Sky Lakes Medical Center.
Improve your NIS2 compliance
The new EU directive NIS2 intensifies cybersecurity requirements. Non-compliance can lead to heavy financial penalties and even liability for board members. Therefore, it is crucial to optimally set up your organization in the area of cybersecurity. An effective approach to meet part of the duty of care of the NIS2 directive is to strengthen the ‘human firewall’ by training employees in the area of cybersecurity. Should something go wrong unexpectedly, it is essential to have a system in place that allows you to alert everyone in real-time to prevent further escalation.
Curious how Netpresenter can help you improve your cybersecurity? Schedule a free consultation with one of our consultants today.
