In today’s world of relentless and advanced cyber threats, protecting IT infrastructure is more critical than ever. As businesses become increasingly interconnected and data-driven, vulnerabilities are growing—and so is the need for a solid cybersecurity framework.

This is where the NIS2 (Network and Information Security) Directive steps in. Designed to raise the bar for cybersecurity across the EU, it addresses critical gaps and extends protection to more sectors than ever before. Building on its 2016 predecessor, the updated NIS2 Directive strengthens defenses for Europe’s critical infrastructure and sets a new standard for security.

Effective since January 2023, the directive came into force from October 18, 2024.

  • Why Endpoint Central
  • Scope of NIS 2
  • Minimum Harmonization
  • Cybersecurity requirements
  • Reporting requirements
  • NIS 2, GDPR & DORA

Why Choose Endpoint Central for NIS2 Compliance?

  • Cyber hygiene at its best
  • Compliance Made Simple
  • Complete IT Visibility

Endpoint Central equips you with everything necessary to maintain top-tier cyber hygiene—patching devices, encrypting data, blocking unauthorized privilege escalation, preventing data leaks, and managing USB access.

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Tailored for seamless compliance, Endpoint Central delivers audit-ready reports and dynamic dashboards, offering clear, real-time insights into risks and vulnerabilities across your IT landscape.

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Unlock full IT visibility with advanced asset management capabilities, while its robust anti-malware features safeguard your environment. With one-click data restoration and endpoint quarantine, business disruptions are minimized, ensuring smooth operations.

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What is the Scope of this directive?

NIS 2 directive classifies industries into Essential and Important entities. Small and Medium Businesses (employing 250 or less and turnover less than €50 million) automatically fall under Important entities.

Essential

  • Energy (Electricity, District heating and cooling, Oil, Gas, Hydrogen)
  • Transport (Air, Rail, Water, and Road)
  • Banking
  • Financial Market Infrastructures
  • Health
  • Drinking Water
  • Waste Water
  • Digital infrastructure
  • ICT service management (business-to-business)*
  • Public administration*
  • Space

Important

  • Postal and courier services
  • Waste management
  • Manufacture, production, and distribution of chemicals
  • Manufacturing
  • Digital providers
  • Research

Minimum Harmonization

The NIS2 Directive brings a unified approach to cybersecurity across the EU, setting consistent standards that all member states must follow. Simultaneously, it gives countries the freedom to build even stronger frameworks. For businesses, this means fewer headaches and a smoother path to compliance, thanks to the streamlined and harmonized requirements.

Refer article 5

The cybersecurity requirements

If your business falls within the scope of the NIS2 Directive, Article 21 and 23 should be your primary focus—it’s essentially the backbone of the directive. This article requires EU member states to ensure that essential and important businesses implement the specified cybersecurity measures. It also encourages businesses to take an "all-hazards" approach, going beyond the listed requirements to address a wide range of potential threats.

Here is a complete overview of How Endpoint Central helps you achieve the measures mentioned in Article 21.

Article 21 Description

2(a) policies on risk analysis and information system security;

  • Endpoint Central can leverage its endpoint security features such as Endpoint DLP, Browser security, Risk based Vulnerability and Patch management, Next- Gen Antivirus engine, Anti -Ransomware and mobile security capabilities.

  • Endpoint Central also can restrict or manage peripheral devices accessing the information systems

2(b) incident handling;

  • In case of a malware attack, Endpoint Central can alert the SOC team and IT admins and enable them to quarantine the system safely. After a thorough forensic analysis, the system can be brought back to production.

  • Endpoint Central also guards enterprise endpoints against Ransomware and provides instant, non-erasable backup in case of a ransomware attack.

2(c) business continuity, such as backup management and disaster recovery, and crisis management;

  • Endpoint Central can quarantine endpoints that exhibit suspicious behavior and, after a thorough forensic analysis, can be deployed back into production.

  • Endpoint Central also provides instant, non-erasable backup of the files in your network every three hours by leveraging Microsoft's volume shadow copy service. If a file is infected with ransomware, it can be restored with the most recent backup copy of the file.

2(d) security in network and information systems acquisition, development and maintenance, including vulnerability handling and disclosure;

  • Endpoint Central provides comprehensive vulnerability management in terms of constant assessment and visibility of threats from a single console.
  • Apart from vulnerability assessment, it also provides built-in remediation of the vulnerabilities detected.  
  • It also provides risk-based vulnerability management so that admins can prioritize the vulnerabilities based on metrics like CVSS score, CVE impact type, Patch availability,  and much more.
  • Endpoint Central comes handy for admins to configure Windows Firewall for the end-users.
  • SecOps can do a port audit in their environment and reduce their attack surface to a great extent, in case of zero -day exploit using Endpoint Central.
  • It enables secure browsing by enabling admins to enforce extensive threat protection configurations.
  • Admins can Block / Restrict their end users from downloading files (which might contain malware) from malicious websites or perhaps, accessing them.
  • It also has provisions for hardening web servers and fixing security misconfigurations.

2(e) policies and procedures to assess the effectiveness of cybersecurity risk-management measures;

  • Endpoint Central is designed to meet governance, risk, and compliances (GRC)requirements of the enterprises. Its powerful reporting capabilities can be used for auditing purposes.
  • Endpoint Central has a vulnerability age matrix and vulnerability severity summary, which can provide rich insights about the impact of patch implementation. Besides, Endpoint Central also provides comprehensive reports on vulnerable systems, missing patches, and patch compliance.
  • A DPO Dashboard has rich insights on Bitlocker status, vulnerable system status, firewall status and much more.

2(f) basic cyber hygiene practices and cybersecurity training;

  • Patching OS and apps regularly and ensuring high patch compliance

  • Enforcing Certificate based device authentication, restrictions on screen capture, and prohibiting public Wi-fi connections.

  • Data leakage prevention - Prevent uploading corporate data into public cloud, prevent copying data into the clipboard

  • Containerizing Corporate and Personal data. Remote Wipes if the device gets stolen

  • Bitlocker and FileVault encryption

  • Security misconfigurations: Fix all the recommended solutions for misconfigurations and patch for critical vulnerabilities.

  • Endpoint Central helps your organization comply with 75+ CIS benchmarks

  • Set an Application Profile: Based on the employee's role, delineate the applications they can and cannot use, and reduce the attack surface by removing the local admin privilege.

  • Role-based access control for peripheral devices: Allow, block, or configure a set of trusted devices to access your endpoints based on the end user's role in the organization.

2(g) policies and procedures regarding the use of cryptography and, where appropriate, encryption;

  • Endpoint Central uses FIPS 140-2 compliant algorithms. Users can enable FIPS mode to run their IT on a highly secure environment.

  • Endpoint Central can help admins to encrypt end-users Windows devices using its Bitlocker Management and Mac devices with FileVault encryption.

2(h) human resources security, access control policies and asset management;

(j) the use of multi-factor authentication or continuous authentication solutions, secured voice, video and text communications and secured emergency communication systems within the entity, where appropriate.

Reporting requirements

Both Essential and Important entities are required to report a major incident (such as data breach) to CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team) or any relevant authority within 24 hours.  All entities are supposed to perform the initial incident forensics and impact assessment within 72 hours of the occurrence of the event.

Refer article 23

What if I don't meet the requirements?

Failure to comply with the NIS2 directive (Article 21 and 23) is more than just a legal violation; it opens the door to crippling financial penalties and leaves your organization vulnerable to catastrophic operational disruptions. Essential entities face fines up to €10 million or 2% of global turnover, while important entities risk fines up to €7 million or 1.4% of global turnover.

But it’s not just about fines. Non-compliance puts your reputation, customer trust, and business continuity on the line. With cyberattacks targeting healthcare, energy, finance, and other critical sectors, one breach could devastate your operations and permanently damage your credibility.

Endpoint Central empowers your organization to not only meet NIS2 compliance but secure your digital future with confidence.

Refer article 34

NIS2 , DORA and GDPR - Europe's cybersecurity trifecta

While NIS2 is a comprehensive cybersecurity directive, many organizations in the European Union are required to comply with other significant compliances and legislations.  Here is a very basic run down of NIS2, GDPR and DORA and how they complement each other

Article 21 NIS2 (Network and Information Security) 2 DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Scope

Extends to Essential and Important entities in the EU (Ref Article 3)

Extends to all the financial entities in the EU

Extends to all the organizations across the globe that deal with personal data of European citizens

Purpose

This directive is intended to raise cybersecurity standards across the EU

As the name indicates, this is to strengthen cybersecurity resilience across the financial sector

GDPR builds on the Right to Privacy, which is widely recognized as a fundamental right worldwide.

Relation with NIS 2

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  • According to the Commission's Guidelines on Article 4 (1) and (2) of the NIS 2 Directive, the cybersecurity and incident reporting rules under the NIS 2 Directive do not apply to sectors already covered by sector specific laws.

  • For financial entities, DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) acts as a sector-specific law. This means organizations covered by DORA are not subject to the cybersecurity and reporting requirements of the NIS 2 Directive.

 

The cybersecurity framework of NIS 2 overlaps with GDPR requirements, helping organizations work towards GDPR compliance more effectively.

 

Penalties

Essential entities can face fines up to €10 million or 2% of global turnover, while important entities risk fines up to €7 million or 1.4% of global turnover.

The DORA Act does not explicitly specify penalties. However, regulatory authorities in the EU and its member states will have the authority to enforce and impose them.

  • Severe Violations: Up to €20 million or up to 4% of their total global turnover of the preceding fiscal year.
  • Less Severe Violations: Up to €10 million or up to 2% of their total global turnover of the preceding fiscal year.

Endpoint Central helps in achieving the following compliances

  • CIS

  • FERPA

  • NIST 800-171

  • UK CYBER ESSENTIALS

  • NCA

  • ISO 27001

  • PCI DSS

  • NIST 2.0 CSF

  • HIPAA

  • DORA

  • GDPR

  • NIS2

  • RBI

  • Essential 8

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Real Stories, Real Impact: Endpoint Central and Compliance

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"Endpoint Central has allowed us to move towards our goal of a centralized application to cover off IT support activities.  The deployment was really simple with no real issues.  We use it mainly for the integration with ServiceDesk Plus and the reports it provide for our ISO implementation"

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Keith Henning,

Business Support, Evander Glazing and Locks

Talk to Us About Your Compliance Needs

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