Your data is now more secure than ever thanks to a new European standard
The standard must now be complied with by Spanish companies
A new European regulation that strengthens cybersecurity in key sectors of the economy has just entered into force in Spain. This update will directly affect Spanish companies, but will also have a significant impact on regular people.
From protecting essential services to securing personal data, the new legislation which has been put in place seeks to protect Europe from the growing risk of cyberattacks.
The NIS2 Directive (Network and Information Systems Security) not only focuses on protecting critical infrastructures such as energy, transport and healthcare, but also on ensuring that the services we use every day are safe from cyber threats.
The standard now set will affect everything from online banking to water and electricity supplies – sectors that, if they were to suffer a cyber attack, could seriously impact our daily lives.
In July 2024, there was a global computer systems crash that caused havoc for many banks, businesses and airports, including in Spain.
The new regulations require companies that manage such services to improve their security systems and respond quickly in the event of incidents, protecting both infrastructure and citizens’ data.
The following services that will be affected by the change in the standard are:
- Banking: This will ensure that financial transactions and services are more secure, protecting our accounts and personal data.
- Healthcare: Hospitals and health centres must strengthen their security measures to avoid cyberattacks that could jeopardise the confidentiality of our medical information.
- Transport and energy: The security of systems that manage electricity, gas and transport will be strengthened, minimising the risks of interruptions or blackouts caused by cyber attacks.
In addition, digital services such as internet providers or e-commerce platforms will also be subject to these new regulations, protecting online purchases and transactions.
The implementation of the NIS2 Directive aims to improve security in the basic services we use on a daily basis. This means that, as citizens, we will be better protected against interruptions caused by cyberattacks and also against possible theft of personal data.
Penalties for non-compliance with the NIS2 Directive are severe. Companies that fail to comply with the regulations could face fines of up to 10 million euros or 2% of their global turnover. This ensures that companies take the implementation of security measures seriously and that citizens are better protected.
Spain has seen a 94% increase in cyberattacks in just one year, according to the National Cryptologic Centre, reflecting the urgency to strengthen security in the systems we use every day. While the NIS2 Directive is a challenge for many companies, it also represents an opportunity to better protect citizens.
Expectations for the measure, however, are not very optimistic: according to a survey commissioned by Veeam Software, only 43% of respondents believe that NIS2 will significantly improve cybersecurity in the EU, despite an overwhelming 90% reporting at least one security incident that the directive could have prevented. Alarmingly, 44% experienced more than three cyber incidents in the past 12 months, with 65% classified as ‘highly critical’.
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