NIS-2 implementation: Why compliance is your engine for digital efficiency

The threat posed by cyberattacks is intensifying. According to the BSI Situation Report 2025 (in German), attacks are steadily increasing. The EU’s response is the NIS-2 Directive, which has been legally anchored in Germany since 6 December 2025 through the NIS-2 Implementation Act (NIS2UmsuCG).

For many companies, implementation initially feels like a bureaucratic hurdle. However, those who view NIS-2 merely as a tiresome obligation are overlooking a strategic opportunity. Cybersecurity is no longer an isolated IT issue; it is a fundamental responsibility of executive management. Approached correctly, the directive acts as a "digital immune system" and a lever for digital efficiency.

The core message: Companies that establish secure and automated processes now are simultaneously modernising their entire communication infrastructure. Secure data exchange is being transformed from a cost factor into a driver for digital development.

Harnessing synergies: Compliance as a central process

A major advantage of NIS-2 implementation is the overlap with existing regulations such as GDPR, ISO 27001, or DORA. Instead of implementing a separate solution for every directive, you can satisfy multiple requirements simultaneously through a central platform.

Synergies arise particularly in the areas of access control, encryption, and reporting obligations, which significantly reduce your administrative workload. For example, while GDPR stipulates a reporting period of 72 hours, NIS-2 requires a three-stage reporting system for significant incidents, including an early warning within 24 hours. A unified process helps to meet these tight deadlines reliably without descending into panic.

Why NIS-2 is more than just a tick in an audit

Compliance with the directive is far more than a regulatory exercise; it forms the foundation for a modern, resilient company. Those who implement the requirements benefit from tangible business advantages:

• Resilience and continuity: NIS-2 forces companies to not just keep emergency plans in a drawer, but to live them. The result? Shorter downtimes during attacks and a faster recovery of operations.

• Protection against existential risks: By strengthening your defensive mechanisms, you protect your most valuable assets: data and intellectual property.

• Trust as currency: Transparency in cybersecurity builds credibility with customers and partners. By acting in compliance with NIS-2, you secure your position as a trustworthy partner in the supply chain.

5 levers: How the NIS-2 directive increases your efficiency

Those who integrate IT security directly into digital workflows operate more economically in the long term. The new NIS-2 requirements can be effectively used as levers to make processes leaner. The greatest potential lies in:

1. Consolidating systems: Replace isolated individual solutions with a central platform for all your data exchange. This saves on licensing costs and massively reduces the burden on your IT administration.

2. Automating documentation: NIS-2 requires seamless documentation. With an integrated solution, you can create logs and audit trails automatically in the background. This makes you "audit-ready" without having to maintain manual lists.

3. Eliminating media discontinuities: Say a final goodbye to slow, insecure methods such as fax or unencrypted emails. Barrier-free digital data exchange tangibly accelerates your daily workflows.

4. Stopping shadow IT: When secure communication is simple and intuitive, your employees will no longer use private, insecure tools. This reduces both risk and complexity.

5. Digitally managing supply chains: Under NIS-2, you must verify the security of your suppliers and adjust supplier contracts. Instead of tedious individual enquiries via email, you can use standardised digital forms or data rooms. This makes collaboration more transparent and scalable.

Industry advantages: Efficiency in practice

NIS-2 requirements can be transformed into concrete competitive advantages. These are the key levers by sector:

• Manufacturing: By securing their supply chains, companies simultaneously standardise the exchange of data with all partners. New suppliers can be onboarded more quickly, while intellectual property remains protected throughout.

• Public authorities: The obligation to use secure channels provides the ideal rationale for replacing outdated structures. Centralised, encrypted email communication reduces complexity and frees up time for core tasks.

• Healthcare: Seamless data transfer between clinics, laboratories, and health insurers reduces processing times. Information arrives securely and directly where it is needed, without the need for manual workarounds.

Roadmap to a resilient organisation

Implementing NIS-2 requires a solid organisational foundation. You can start with these four steps:

• Appoint responsible persons: Designate at least two people to coordinate your IT security. Actively involve executive management in this process.

• Conduct an inventory: Analyse where your organisation currently stands regarding IT security. Make use of official resources and tools provided by the BSI for this purpose.

• Review security measures: Check whether your current measures correspond to the "state of the art". Regularly test your processes to ensure they remain effective.

• Establish reporting channels: Define clear responsibilities for emergencies. The reporting deadlines for security incidents are very tight, requiring an early warning within 24 hours.

Formal obligations and registration

Important: Under the directive, affected entities must register with the BSI by 6 March 2026 at the latest. Registration is a two-stage process via the new BSI portal (available since 6 January 2026). A "My Business Account" (MUK) via ELSTER is a prerequisite for this registration.

Meeting central NIS-2 requirements efficiently with FTAPI

FTAPI can serve as a central component for NIS-2-compliant cybersecurity processes. The platform can be deeply integrated into your existing infrastructure and provides the necessary tools for effective risk management.

• Incident response: Internal reporting channels and chains can be digitally mapped and automated using SecuFlows Advanced. With SecuMails, FTAPI offers an independent communication channel.

• Crisis management: Crisis teams can access emergency plans from any device via SecuRooms.

• Secure supply chain: With FTAPI, you can automate security assessments for your partners (SecuFlows Advanced). Partners submit certificates and evidence securely via digital forms (SecuForms). These documents are then stored in an audit-proof manner in digital data rooms (SecuRooms).

• Encryption & data sovereignty: FTAPI utilises modern cryptography and, as software "made in Germany" with hosting in certified German data centres, ensures full European data sovereignty.

• Access control & cyber hygiene: Features such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), single sign-on (SSO), and clear role and permission concepts reduce the risk of data leakage and shadow IT. All actions are documented automatically.

Conclusion: Security as a strategic upgrade

NIS-2 marks a turning point. Cybersecurity is no longer an isolated IT project but a central leadership task. Those who view this obligation as a strategic lever gain both legal certainty and future viability simultaneously. Companies should use the directive as an opportunity to dismantle outdated structures and make their organisation resilient.

FTAPI supports this as a core component. The platform bundles encryption, automated workflows, and documentation. In doing so, you strengthen your "digital immune system" and position yourself as a trustworthy partner in a networked economy.