Between malware and NIS2: improving IT security & compliance

02. October 2024, Matthias Lutz

NIS2 is keeping the European economy busy. Together with its predecessor NIS from 2016, the two cybersecurity directives are forcing the IT industry within the EU to rethink its security approaches and practices. However, the current shortage of skilled IT workers will make it challenging for many companies to implement the new requirements without the right tools and support.

Short & sweet

The NIS2 directive forces companies to continuously improve their security measures and strengthens the minimum requirements for cybersecurity.
Available tools such as the bMS enable reliable automation of many IT security tasks and form the basis for fulfilling NIS2 requirements
Investments in cyber defense and recovery measures quickly pay off for companies, enabling them to achieve NIS2 compliance efficiently even with limited IT resources.

Since 2016, IT and management teams at many EU organizations have had to follow cybersecurity requirements defined in the Network and Information System Security Directive (NIS). Its successor, NIS2, significantly expands those requirements as well as the number of organizations it affects. Among other things, NIS2 defines stronger minimum cybersecurity requirements for providers and operators of critical infrastructure. This means that companies must continuously adapt and improve security measures or be subject to administrative, financial or even criminal penalties for non-compliance.

Maximum safety means high requirements

The impact of the NIS2 directive is significant: Security measures must be significantly increased and the reporting of security incidents becomes mandatory. Companies are also required to conduct regular employee training and regularly share cybersecurity-related information with national authorities. NIS2 also mandates that companies continuously assess and manage their security risks and implement suitable cybersecurity measures. Compliance also must be carefully documented.

Achieving and maintaining NIS2 compliance means increased workloads for IT departments. That’s becoming a major challenge at many companies due to a serious shortage of trained IT specialists. However, doing nothing is not an option.

The bMS: A Swiss army knife of IT security

Simply put, there is no one-size-fits-all tool for becoming NIS2 compliant. However, existing Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) solutions such as the baramundi Management Suite (bMS) provide the comprehensive functionality that IT administrators need to efficiently implement many NIS2 requirements while improving system performance, reliability and IT productivity.

UEM: Transparency, control and automation

With UEM, IT teams can efficiently provision, monitor and manage company network, Windows and mobile devices. Automated patch management, another core element of the bMS, ensures that all managed systems have the latest security updates. Patches and hotfixes also can be promptly installed with a high degree of control over the timing and scope of distribution to affected IT and OT systems. Continuous monitoring allows IT teams to know the exact status of every device in the network in detail, including the current installed versions of NetBIOS/UEFI, operating systems, applications, configurations, authorizations, etc., without having to carry out time-consuming manual checks.

The automated inventory capabilities of the bMS inventory give IT admins a precise overview of all IT assets so they can effectively assess and manage security risks at all times. Such comprehensive insight is crucial for meeting NIS2 requirements for transparency, risk analysis and information security. The extensive reporting functions of the bMS are also important for meeting NIS2 requirements because they enable IT teams to document IT security practices and system status at any time.

bMS automation produces lasting benefits for IT teams managing increasingly complex computing landscapes. It also better prepares organizations to adopt and deploy important innovations such as AI and advanced data analytics, including state-of-the-art measures to combat increasingly sophisticated attacks by cybercriminals.