NIS2 Directive: How to Ensure Business Continuity in the Face of Unexpected Incidents

As expected, the introduction of the NIS2 Directive has sparked concern—some would say even panic—among companies across the European Union. The scope of affected sectors has expanded, and the measures are more stringent, covering multiple dimensions, one of the most critical being business continuity.

In this article, we explain what business continuity means in the context of the NIS2 Directive and how you can approach compliance.

What Does Business Continuity Management (BCM) Include?

The primary goal of the NIS2 Directive is to strengthen cybersecurity across critical sectors, with a focus on preventing incidents. Business continuity management (BCM), on the other hand, is aimed at maintaining operational workflows even when incidents occur. The purpose of BCM activities is to minimize the impact on business functions and restore operations to a normal state within an acceptable time frame.

Since NIS2 emphasizes the security of information systems, BCM in this context primarily refers to backup and disaster recovery solutions. Backup ensures fast data recovery, while disaster recovery focuses on the swift restoration of IT systems. In some industries—such as healthcare information systems or transportation management systems—these capabilities are crucial to service delivery.

What’s the Connection Between NIS2 and Business Continuity?

In a business environment where IT systems, data, and digital services are no longer support functions but business foundations, and where cyber threats are increasingly complex and frequent, resilience to disruption is a top priority. The NIS2 Directive is about strengthening digital resilience—on an EU level, this means safeguarding the economy and critical services.

Although it may not seem that way, NIS2 compliance is in companies’ best interest—not just to avoid steep penalties, but also because implementing the directive’s measures offers the best protection for their business. Importantly, compliance isn’t a one-time project, but a continuous process of monitoring, prevention, and reporting.

Where to Start?

If your organization is subject to NIS2 (and even if it’s not, cyber risk should not be underestimated), it’s essential to address business continuity management. Depending on whether you already have some BCM processes in place or are starting from scratch, your journey to compliance will involve different steps.

1. Assemble Internal Stakeholders

Identify subject-matter experts and owners of critical data and infrastructure, and ensure they understand the importance of NIS2 and the actions required.

2. Conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

Perform a detailed assessment of how incidents or risk events could affect your core operations. This analysis serves as the foundation for implementing protection measures for critical business functions.

3. Create Backup and Disaster Recovery Plans

Your plans should go beyond IT infrastructure to include physical locations and third-party services. To stay effective, they must be reviewed regularly to reflect evolving technology, threat landscapes, and organizational changes.

4. Implement Tailored Solutions

Backup and disaster recovery solutions must align with your specific business needs—for example, the timeframe within which a function must be restored (Recovery Time Objective, RTO).

5. Conduct Regular Training and Simulations

Effective business continuity requires realistic scenario testing to identify weaknesses early. Training key personnel and clearly defining responsibilities are just as essential.

Business Continuity and NIS2: Critical Areas to Address

Cyber Risk Management

Business continuity includes many components, with cybersecurity being a major one—especially under NIS2. Consider implementing security measures such as encryption and access control protocols.

Vendors and Partners

Evaluate how incidents affecting vendors and critical service providers could impact your business, and develop appropriate strategies such as vendor diversification or alternative partnerships.

Data Protection

Identify critical data assets in your ecosystem. Evaluate potential consequences of data loss or theft, reduce risks by limiting access, revoking unused permissions, applying the least privilege principle, and introducing continuous monitoring.

Make Progress Toward NIS2 Compliance (and a More Resilient Business)

To emphasize once more: NIS2 compliance is not just about regulation. The benefits of robust business continuity are significant, and the risks of neglect are potentially devastating—loss of revenue, customers, and reputation.

If you’re looking to take a key step on your NIS2 journey, explore our Disaster Recovery and Backup solutions built on the cloud, designed to meet the demands of companies operating in the European Union.