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Unlike the first NIS Directive, the NIS 2 Directive’s scope now includes small and medium–sized enterprises (SMEs) as they play a crucial role in the essential services supply chain. For SMEs that need to demonstrate NIS2 compliance, the following NIS 2 checklist features key best practices tailored to their resources and capacity:

1. Conduct a Risk Assessment:

Identify key assets, potential threats, and vulnerabilities. Prioritize risks based on likelihood and potential impact, using methodologies like ISO/IEC 27005 or ENISA guidance.

2. Implement a Cybersecurity Governance Framework

Adopt a simplified version of existing frameworks (ISO/IEC 27001, NIST CSF) to establish roles, responsibilities, and policies around cybersecurity.

3. Train Staff on Cybersecurity Awareness

Regularly educate employees on phishing attacks, social engineering, password management, and safe online practices.

4. Ensure Strong Access Control and Authentication

Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) across key systems. Limit user privileges through a least-privilege model to reduce insider threats.

5. Develop an Incident Response Plan

Create an incident response plan that outlines procedures for detecting, reporting, and responding to cybersecurity incidents. Test the plan through tabletop exercises to identify gaps and weaknesses.

6. Practice Regular Patching and Vulnerability Management

Implement automated patch management processes to ensure systems and software are updated regularly. Use vulnerability scanning tools to identify security weaknesses.

7. Plan for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BC/DR)

Develop BC/DR plans that cover key systems and data recovery after a security incident. Regularly test backup processes to ensure that critical data can be restored efficiently.

8. Monitor and Log Network Activity

Implement network monitoring tools to detect unusual activity. Analyze audit logs to facilitate incident detection and compliance with reporting requirements under NIS2.

Learn More About NIS2 Compliance

To learn more about NIS2 compliance for small businesses, check out: Small Business Guide to NIS 2 Compliance.

And to learn more about Kiteworks for NIS2 compliance, be sure to check out NIS 2 Compliance Software for Managing and Mitigating ICT Risk.

 

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It’s easy to start ensuring regulatory compliance and effectively managing risk with Kiteworks. Join the thousands of organizations who are confident in how they exchange private data between people, machines, and systems. Get started today.

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