NIS2
EU directive for cybersecurity resilience in critical sectors
SAMA CSF
Saudi framework for financial cybersecurity compliance
Quick Verdict
NIS2 mandates cybersecurity resilience for EU critical sectors via risk management and rapid incident reporting, while SAMA CSF enforces maturity-based controls for Saudi financial firms. Organizations adopt NIS2 for regulatory compliance across Europe; SAMA CSF for financial sector resilience and SAMA audits.
NIS2
Directive (EU) 2022/2555 (NIS2 Directive)
Key Features
- Expands scope via size-cap rule to medium/large entities in 18 sectors
- Mandates 24-hour early warning and 72-hour incident reporting
- Imposes direct personal accountability on senior management
- Levies fines up to 2% of global annual turnover
- Requires continuous risk management and supply chain security
SAMA CSF
SAMA Cyber Security Framework Version 1.0
Key Features
- Six-level maturity model targeting Level 3 minimum
- Four domains with detailed subdomains and controls
- Mandatory board oversight and CISO requirements
- Risk-based principle approach aligned with NIST/ISO
- Third-party security and payment systems focus
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
NIS2 Details
What It Is
NIS2 (Directive (EU) 2022/2555) is an EU regulation expanding the original NIS Directive to achieve a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union. It applies a risk-based approach to essential and important entities in broadened sectors like energy, transport, health, and digital services.
Key Components
- **Risk managementContinuous assessments, supply chain security, access controls, encryption.
- **Incident reportingEarly warning (24 hours), notification (72 hours), final report (1 month).
- **Business continuityCrisis response and recovery plans.
- **GovernanceSenior management accountability, no fixed controls but aligned with ISO 27001/ENISA. Compliance enforced by national authorities via supervision.
Why Organizations Use It
Mandatory for covered entities to avoid fines up to €10M or 2% global turnover. Enhances resilience, ensures service continuity, builds stakeholder trust, and supports harmonized EU cybersecurity amid rising threats.
Implementation Overview
Gap analysis, policy development, training, registration with CSIRTs. Targets medium/large EU firms in 18 sectors. Ongoing spot checks post-Oct 2024 transposition; enterprise-wide transformation leveraging existing standards.
SAMA CSF Details
What It Is
The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority Cyber Security Framework (SAMA CSF), Version 1.0 (May 2017), is a mandatory regulatory framework for SAMA-regulated financial institutions in Saudi Arabia. It provides a principle-based, outcome-oriented approach to cybersecurity, focusing on governance, risk management, operations, and third-party controls to protect information assets' confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Key Components
- Four main domains: Cyber Security Leadership and Governance, Risk Management and Compliance, Operations and Technology, Third Party Cyber Security.
- Numerous subdomains with principles, objectives, and control considerations.
- Six-level Cyber Security Maturity Model (minimum Level 3: Structured and formalized).
- Aligned with NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS; enforced via self-assessments and SAMA audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory compliance for banks, insurers, finance companies to avoid penalties, audits, fines.
- Enhances resilience, reduces incident risks, improves efficiency.
- Builds trust, enables partnerships, supports Vision 2030 digital growth.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: initiation, gap analysis, design, deployment, monitoring, improvement.
- Applies to all SAMA entities; scalable by size.
- Requires board oversight, CISO, evidence for periodic self-assessments.
Key Differences
| Aspect | NIS2 | SAMA CSF |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Risk mgmt, incident reporting, business continuity, governance across sectors | Governance, risk mgmt, operations/tech, third-party for financial assets |
| Industry | Essential/important entities in EU sectors (energy, transport, digital) | Saudi financial institutions (banks, insurance, financing companies) |
| Nature | Mandatory EU directive, transposed nationally with enforcement | Mandatory framework for SAMA-regulated entities with self-assessments |
| Testing | Live spot checks, incident reporting, national authority audits | Periodic self-assessments, internal/external audits, maturity model reviews |
| Penalties | Up to €10M or 2% global turnover for essential entities | Supervisory actions, fines, operational restrictions (not quantified) |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about NIS2 and SAMA CSF
NIS2 FAQ
SAMA CSF FAQ
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