Turning Compliance Chaos into Opportunity: How the Channel Can Help Businesses Tackle Cyber Risk Exposure under NIS2 and DORA

Two major regulations have reshaped Europe’s cybersecurity landscape in quick succession: the Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2) and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). Together, they are a a step-change in how governments expect organisations to manage cyber risk. The shift is especially significant for sectors dependent on digital infrastructure, where the stakes are high and the pressure is building.

For many businesses—especially SMEs—these new rules present a number of challenges. However for the technology channel, they also represent a timely opportunity: to move from supplier to strategic advisor, helping clients navigate a more complex threat environment and build resilience into their operations.

Why the Compliance Stakes Are Rising

NIS2, which applies to a wide range of essential and important sectors, requires enhanced cyber hygiene, improved incident reporting, and a deeper focus on third-party risk. DORA, meanwhile, targets financial services and their ICT providers with even more specific obligations around operational resilience and business continuity.

Both regulations are a response to an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape. Cybercriminals have grown more organised and specialised, using automation, AI, and service-based models to scale their operations. At the same time, organisations are more digitally interconnected than ever, increasing their exposure to potential attacks.

This growing cyber risk exposure, the sum of digital assets, systems, suppliers, and users that could be exploited, is exactly what NIS2 and DORA aim to reduce. But our experience shows that many companies are falling short. Only some organisations are fully compliant with NIS2, and many that are claiming to be DORA-ready aren’t even monitoring third-party suppliers, despite this being a core requirement. That leaves significant gaps—and major risks.

The Role of Cyber Risk Exposure

To meet the requirements of these regulations, organisations need to get serious about understanding their full cyber risk exposure. This isn’t just about their internal IT environment—it includes cloud services, remote endpoints, contractors, and especially third-party vendors. Every external connection can become a potential entry point for an attacker.

Without full visibility across this ecosystem, it’s difficult—if not impossible—to assess risk accurately, respond quickly to threats, or report incidents within the strict timelines that NIS2 and DORA demand. This is where many businesses are currently stuck.

This is the moment for the channel to step up. Partners already know their customers’ infrastructure, workflows, and weak points. That inside knowledge, combined with regulatory awareness, puts them in a strong position to advise clients on practical steps to reduce risk exposure and improve compliance posture.

That might mean helping map the digital supply chain, run regular risk assessments, identify overlooked assets, or implement clearer incident response plans. In many cases, it’s not about selling new tools—it’s about helping businesses use what they already have more effectively, while aligning it with regulatory expectations.

For SMEs in particular, which may lack in-house security teams or the capacity to stay ahead of shifting compliance rules, this kind of advisory support is invaluable. It offers them not only guidance but peace of mind.

Continuous Risk Management, Not One-Off Exercises

What NIS2 and DORA both make clear is that compliance isn’t a project—it’s a process. Cyber risk exposure must be monitored and managed continuously. Threats evolve, systems change, and suppliers come and go. Static security policies are no longer enough.

Channel partners can play a central role in establishing ongoing practices that address this dynamic risk. That might include:

• Regular reviews of third-party risk

• Asset discovery and inventory checks

• Incident response exercises and tabletop scenarios

• Governance reporting that maps risk to compliance

• Policy reviews and updates as regulations evolve

For partners who want to go further, offering these services on a recurring basis—whether through advisory retainers or managed offerings—can build stronger, more durable customer relationships.

From Compliance Burden to Strategic Opportunity

There’s no question that the compliance burden is increasing. But so too is the opportunity for the channel to redefine its role. Rather than being just another vendor, partners can position themselves as protectors of business continuity and resilience.

By helping clients get a handle on their cyber risk exposure, channel partners not only assist in avoiding penalties or breaches—they empower businesses to operate with greater confidence and agility in a volatile environment.

NIS2 and DORA are not the final word on cybersecurity regulation. More rules are coming, and enforcement is only going to get tougher. Businesses that treat compliance as a tick-box exercise will continue to fall behind. But those that understand their risk exposure—and take proactive steps to manage it—will be in a far stronger position.

For the channel, this is a chance to lean in. Not with products, but with perspective. Not with tools, but with trusted guidance. The businesses that succeed in this new era of regulation will be the ones that understand the value of partnership—and the channel is perfectly placed to deliver it.