Building a More Secure Online Ecosystem for Everyone
Hardly a day goes by when we’re not exposed to the digital world. From making money, staying connected, and following the news to shopping and entertainment, the digital space is where it all happens.
Unfortunately, crime happens here, too.
The EU Cybersecurity Act’s goal is to counter digital crime. It boosts consumer protection and raises the bar for digital security across Europe.
The EU Cybersecurity Act is more than rules and regulations. It’s about building a safer, more trustworthy digital environment for everyone.
And, this, directly impacts your business. Here’s what you want to know.
What is the EU Cybersecurity Act?
The EU Cybersecurity Act, adopted in 2019, has two main goals.
- It strengthens the role of ENISA (the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity). ENISA helps to coordinate cybersecurity across the EU. The Act gives ENISA a permanent mandate and more resources.
- It establishes a framework for European cybersecurity certification, directly impacting consumer protection. It creates a system to certify the cybersecurity of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) products, services, and processes.
What European Cybersecurity Certification Means
Think of European cybersecurity certification as a digital product and service safety label.
Before this Act, it was difficult for consumers to know how secure a smart TV, a connected car, or a cloud storage service was. The certification framework changes that.
European Consumer Data Protection
The EU Cybersecurity Act works with EU laws that protect consumer data, like the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
While GDPR focuses on personal data, the Cybersecurity Act focuses on the security of products and services.
By boosting product security, the Act helps stop data breaches and keeps people’s personal information safer. More secure products and services mean fewer data breaches and identity theft risks.
How Does the Act Work?
- Certification Schemes. The Act creates various certification schemes to fit specific products or services. These schemes define the security requirements that must be met.
- Assurance Levels. Each scheme has different “assurance levels” (basic, substantial, high). A higher assurance level means the product or service has been tested more thoroughly against brutal threats.
How Does This Protect Consumers?
- Certifications provide clear and trustworthy information about the cybersecurity of products. This helps consumers make better decisions.
- When you see a product with an EU Cybersecurity Act certification, it shows that it follows certain security standards. So you can trust that it is secure.
- Certified products are less likely to have vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. So, you know your data and privacy is protected.
- The certification framework pushes companies to step up their cybersecurity. Businesses will want to get certified to gain a competitive advantage.
Cybersecurity Compliance for Businesses
Following the EU Cybersecurity Act (and related regulations like GDPR) is mandatory for businesses. It’s a basic requirement for operating in the European market.
Luckily, some requirements for the different European Digital Acts are similar. This overlap makes it easier to meet the rules.
Doing a thread-led penetration test (TLPT) often lets you see how your systems hold up against real-world threats. This means TLPTs will help you meet requirements for, among others, the:
- Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA)
- Network and Information Security Directives (NIS2)
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
- EU Cybersecurity Act
By following digital security standards and meeting regulations from governing bodies, you are:
- Protecting your business and staff from cyber threats.
- Showing consumers and investors that you take cybersecurity seriously.
- Setting yourself apart from the competition because people want products and services that make them feel safe.
Secure Your Business and Protect Your Customers
7ASecurity provides rigorous penetration testing and security audits.
We don’t tick boxes. We simulate real-world attacks to find system weaknesses before criminals do. This is the level of testing that aligns with the EU Cybersecurity Act certification schemes.
We will help you identify and fix weaknesses to meet high digital security standards and create secure products and services.
