What Do DORA, NIS2 and KRITIS Mean for Your Resilience Strategy?

The digital backbone of modern society - our energy grids, transport systems, communication networks, and financial services - depends on infrastructures that are not just secure but resilient. And resilience today is no longer an optional aspiration, it’s a regulatory obligation.

Across Europe, operators of critical infrastructures are facing an unprecedented convergence of regulations: NIS2, KRITIS, ISO 27001, and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). Together, these frameworks signal a new phase in compliance. One that demands not just documentation, but proof of continuity and operational strength.

From Security to Demonstrable Resilience

The NIS2 Directive builds upon its predecessor by enforcing stricter cybersecurity and incident reporting standards across critical sectors. KRITIS defines what counts as “critical infrastructure” at the national level, outlining obligations for resilience planning, reporting, and recovery preparedness. ISO 27001, in turn, has long provided the framework for structured, process-based information security management.

Then comes DORA - a game changer. It introduces the requirement to test and prove operational resilience through simulations, continuous monitoring, and real-world recovery exercises. DORA doesn’t replace the existing frameworks; it builds on them, raising the bar. Compliance now extends beyond internal systems to include third-party providers and entire supply chains.

In essence, organizations must not only protect their systems but demonstrate that they can endure and recover - under regulatory scrutiny and in real-world conditions.

Compliance as a Boardroom Priority

This evolution has elevated compliance from a technical function to a strategic and leadership-level issue. DORA explicitly makes boards and senior executives personally accountable for resilience.

For leaders in energy, finance, telecom, and healthcare, resilience is no longer just a question of uptime. It is about maintaining trust, continuity, and reputation. To meet these requirements, leadership needs complete transparency into the infrastructure: what exists, how it is connected, and how disruptions may spread.  

Turning Obligation into Opportunity

While these new regulations increase pressure, they also create opportunity. The demand for demonstrable resilience encourages modernization, better documentation, and greater efficiency. Organizations that embrace this shift can turn compliance into a strategic advantage. They gain stronger operational control and better alignment between IT, risk, and business continuity.

Forward-looking operators are already investing in digital visibility solutions, such as infrastructure modeling and simulation, to make compliance a byproduct of good operational practice rather than a once-a-year struggle. In doing so, they are not just meeting requirements - they’re setting the standard for the resilient enterprise of tomorrow.

In summary: Compliance is evolving from a box-ticking exercise into a catalyst for digital strength. Those who embrace this shift will emerge not only compliant but competitive. 

Explore how to turn compliance into resilience in our whitepaper, “Mastering Compliance in a Complex Regulatory Environment.”