Many companies will soon receive official notice that it is time to comply with the new Cybersecurity Act (KIS2), which is the result of the European Union’s requirement to comply with the new Directive on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity (NIS2). This law completely replaces the old law that was aligned with the 2016 NIS and aims to improve protection against cyber threats and ensure the continuity of the operation of critical infrastructure.

To prepare companies for the upcoming changes, HUP-ICT organized a conference on the new legislative provisions, where experts from various companies, including Combis, Span, Infobip, Verso Altima, Končar, InSig2 and Janaf, shared their best practices. The panel discussion on this topic was moderated by Zlatan Morić from HUP.

Andro Galinović from Infobip emphasized the importance of proper management of information assets. According to him, there is a risk that companies will create an outdated list of assets that will not serve their purpose. A “catalogue” of assets can be out of date in a day, he warned, adding that companies must establish systems to ensure the data is up-to-date in real time.

As a first step, Krešimir Hausknecht from InSig2 recommends the implementation of international standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27002, which cover 90 percent of cybersecurity needs. On the other hand, Galinović warns that ISO standards are not easily understandable to the general public and require careful understanding.

Experts advise Croatian companies not to rush into compliance and to avoid expensive risk management tools. “You won’t get a magic solution anywhere that will only insert all your risks,” pointed out Antonija Vojnović from Span.

Goran Car from Combis adds that the new law will help companies to become more aware of their risks. “Our biggest problem is thinking: I’m aware of the risks, I don’t have the budget, they won’t get me,” he emphasized.

HUP’s Working Group on Cybersecurity, gathering over 80 experts, will play a key role in providing support to companies in adapting to the new regulation.

Croatian companies face a challenging task, but with the support of experts, they can successfully adapt to the new requirements.