Schneider Electric cyber lead calls for improved security practices

Due to the severity of the threat, the Government is revising its Network and Information Security Directive-related legislation, aligning with the EU’s own NIS 2 update. The changes will have implications for the whole supply chain, requiring a wide ecosystem of essential service providers and manufacturers to rapidly advance cyber security maturity to minimise risk.

In both the UK and EU, connected businesses throughout the supply chain will be expected to be cyber secure, with responsibility extending to friendly third parties connected to systems through remote access. For utilities, this is especially crucial as any business involved in the supply chain risk huge fines.

Schneider Electric’s cyber security assessments entail a holistic defence-in-depth approach which encompasses everything from technology to human factors, how systems are delivered, how assets are maintained and secured, and how to deliver improved resilience over the medium to long term. This approach meets the same requirements as NIS 2 in many ways however is driven by outcome and aims to go beyond minimum requirements. Schneider Electric is especially well positioned to help industrial organisations of all sizes, regardless of their digital maturity, in navigating the complex legislation changes while protecting operations.

Victor Lough, Cyber security Solutions and Services Business Lead, Schneider Electric: “The upcoming legislation changes will have lasting implications for the entire industrial ecosystem, briefing the leading trade press is a great opportunity to raise awareness not only about the impending changes but the proactive steps that businesses can take with Schneider Electric to prepare and defend assets against real risks. The scale and scope of the threat may be evolving but NIS 2 raises the bar for security standards, preparing essential industries and securing their operations.”

Schneider Electric is on a mission to support businesses across the board as they move beyond just NIS 2 compliance and into better protected utilities, future-proofing operational assets to be more resilient to changed threats.

Victor presented his insight to a room of 21 leading trade journalists at the March 1st First Friday Editors Briefing, eager to understand what the changes mean for their readers across a broad list of vertical sectors.