T he borderless nature of cybercrime has made policing and prevention hugely challenging. Whether it’ s attacks on information systems and networks, online fraud and forgery, or illegal content, bad actors make the most of a global digital landscape with few perimeters.
As a result, cybercrime shows no signs of slowing down. The World Economic Forum’ s Global Risks Report last year found that‘ widespread cybercrime and cyber insecurity’ registered for the first time in the top rankings of severe risks, coming in at eighth place in both the short and the long term. In the UK alone, half of businesses report having experienced some form of cybersecurity breach or attack in the last 12 months, according to a recent Home Office survey.
Improving regulation
The European Union is doing something about this escalating risk scenario by introducing the NIS2 Directive. The overall aim is to create a common level of cybersecurity that will address the security of network and information systems, streamline reporting and introduce more stringent reporting, among other goals. After October 17 it was enshrined in law across all EU member states and UK organisations trading in the EU need to comply.
Ann Keefe, Regional Director for the UK and Ireland at Kingston Technology, highlights the critical role hardware-encrypted external drives play in addressing vulnerabilities tied to storing sensitive data on local devices like laptops or desktops. These drives provide robust physical security and cybersecurity, ensuring data remains protected.
Nurturing a more harmonised approach to cybersecurity will address some of the problems that have existed until now. Previously, national implementations of cybersecurity measures varied significantly, leading to gaps in protection and inconsistent regulatory requirements. By introducing more uniform standards, NIS2 should help to create a level playing field for businesses operating across different EU countries. This is particularly beneficial for companies involved in cross-border operations, as it reduces the complexity of complying with multiple regulatory frameworks.
The directive introduces stricter security requirements and obligates companies to implement measures such as risk analysis, incident handling and system monitoring. It also mandates that businesses notify relevant authorities of significant security incidents, ensuring timely responses to cyberthreats. In addition to the
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