Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

The Network and Information Security 2 (NIS 2) directive is a successor to the original NIS directive. Its purpose is to strengthen the cybersecurity posture of the businesses and organizations it covers across different sectors. ‍ NIS 2 expands on the original directive with notable changes and updates aimed at consolidating and strengthening cybersecurity practices in EU Member States.

ISO 27001 is a globally recognized standard for building robust information security management systems (ISMS). The standard is closely aligned with NIS 2—a mandatory EU directive designed to fortify the cybersecurity posture of critical infrastructure among Member States. ‍ These two frameworks form a unique symbiotic relationship due to the potential overlap in the requirements and controls.

The Network and Information Security (NIS) directive was introduced in 2016 to outline cybersecurity obligations across the EU and enable operational resilience for in-scope organizations. In 2020, the European Commission proposed the directive’s revision, which led to the formal adoption of NIS 2 in 2022. ‍ In this guide, we answer the common question of organizations impacted by the directive—What is NIS 2?

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and the Revised Network and Information Systems (NIS 2) are two of the latest EU cybersecurity regulations designed to fortify the security posture and cyber resilience of in-scope entities. ‍ Both regulations share the same general purpose of increasing their respective sectors' overall transparency and security. Still, their approaches to this goal vary in several key aspects you’ll learn about in this guide.

Strong security policies are the foundation of any successful security program. Before jumping into tools like Vanta to manage and automate your policies, it’s crucial to get the basics right—starting with how those policies are created, adopted, and aligned with compliance controls. ‍

This past month, the Vanta team launched new features to help you: ‍

Navigating an audit can be complex and time-consuming, but the right preparation and approach can make the process much smoother. Whether you're working toward SOC 2, ISO 27001, or another framework, knowing when to engage auditors, how to provide access, and what to focus on during the audit will set you up for success. ‍ In this guide, we’ll walk through best practices for working with auditors—from initial engagement to ongoing audit management and post-audit steps. ‍

NIS 2 is a new EU directive that establishes a unified cybersecurity framework for specific organizations within Member States. Compared to the original NIS directive, the scope has been expanded, and compliance is mandatory for in-scope organizations. ‍ The broader scope means that while NIS 2 is EU-specific, some organizations outside the Union may also be subject to its requirements.

If your SaaS platform collects, processes, or stores EU residents’ data, GDPR compliance is essential to avoid regulatory issues, legal escalations, and operational interruptions. ‍ Due to GDPR’s comprehensive nature, ensuring compliance can be challenging—especially without adequate guidance. ‍ This guide provides granular information to help you start working toward GDPR compliance as a SaaS platform owner. We’ll cover: ‍

The EU AI Act is one of the world’s first comprehensive regulations aimed at AI-based systems. While we had voluntary standards like ISO 42001, the Act introduced mandatory requirements that in-scope organizations must meet to avoid considerable fines and operational disruptions. ‍ If you develop, use, or distribute AI systems, you may have to meet the obligations prescribed by this directive. Our EU AI Act summary will help you do so by covering: ‍