Preparing your business for cybersecurity and privacy regulations

Canon’s research revealed that IT leaders consistently rate information security as one of their top three most challenging and time-consuming responsibilities over the last five years.

In fact, information security (33%) was rated the number one challenge, closely followed by maintaining compliance (25%). As such, information security remains a pressing concern as regulatory obligations and technological complexity continue to grow.

Regulation is continuing to expand, with the EU and national governments strengthening cybersecurity directives and broadening the scope of affected sectors. This means more organisations are now expected to demonstrate effective risk management, incident response, supply chain oversight and resilience planning.

In 2026, this regulatory shift is moving from preparation to practical implementation. DORA has applied since January 2025, requiring financial entities to strengthen ICT risk management, resilience testing, incident reporting and oversight of critical third-party providers. The Cyber Resilience Act is also entering a key operational phase: from September 2026, manufacturers of products with digital elements must report actively exploited vulnerabilities and severe security incidents, ahead of the Act’s wider application from December 2027. These milestones mean compliance will remain a board-level priority for years to come.

NIS2 is also a central part of this shift. Designed to strengthen cyber resilience across the EU, it expands the scope of its predecessor by introducing stricter risk management and incident reporting obligations, stronger regulatory oversight and greater accountability for senior management. As Member States continue to implement and enforce national legislation, organisations operating across borders will need to monitor local requirements carefully.

To meet today’s obligations and adapt to the evolving information security landscape of tomorrow, working with a partner that has the expertise, services and solutions to help future-proof operations is crucial. Businesses can prepare for new and emerging regulations, avoid potentially costly changes close to implementation deadlines and take a more proactive approach to information security by considering the following areas.

Businesses must have a clear understanding of the legislation that applies to their organisation, industry and operating regions. This should include consulting legal, compliance and security experts to understand not only the direct obligations, but also the wider impact on products, services, suppliers and internal processes.

Implementing a process for ongoing monitoring of emerging legislation, national implementation timelines and regulatory guidance is also key. This could be managed through a dedicated internal team or outsourced to an expert supplier, allowing organisations to anticipate future requirements and adapt before deadlines become urgent.

To navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, security teams may need to expand their expertise, either by hiring specialists or training existing employees in security compliance, legislative interpretation, risk management and the implementation of security controls. This may affect resources, staffing and budgets, depending on the scale of adaptation required.

IT teams must establish clear processes for vulnerability management, patching, incident response, resilience testing and data breach notification. These processes should be documented, tested and regularly reviewed to support compliance with obligations such as NIS2, DORA and the Cyber Resilience Act. Where required, organisations may also need to invest in additional software, monitoring capabilities and managed services that support these processes over time.

Suppliers may sit outside your organisation, but their security posture, reporting processes and compliance readiness can still have a direct impact on your risk exposure. It is important to engage with suppliers, understand their security practices, review contractual requirements and carry out audits or assessments to help ensure they align with your own compliance standards.

While some security incidents may have a significant impact on your business, it is important that employees communicate risks quickly and that a culture of open reporting is encouraged. Clear escalation paths, employee awareness and transparent reporting help organisations learn from incidents, meet notification deadlines and strengthen controls without creating a culture of blame.

New and emerging regulation is a positive force for consumers and the security industry as a whole. Ultimately, it will help create a more secure, resilient and transparent digital landscape for businesses. While there may be short-term investment and operational effort required, the long-term benefits of adapting early and embracing a proactive approach to regulation far outweigh the challenges.