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NIS-2 cloud storage requirements UK
How to Meet UK NIS-2 Cloud Storage Requirements with Sovereign Architecture
The EU's NIS-2 Directive imposes strict cybersecurity duties on the digital supply chain, affecting many UK firms. Meeting these new standards requires a foundational shift in how you approach data storage resilience and sovereignty.
Key Takeaways
UK businesses with EU operations must comply with the NIS-2 Directive, which mandates strict supply chain security.
Sovereign, EU-only cloud storage with geofencing is the most direct way to meet NIS-2 data residency and security requirements.
Features like Immutable Storage (Object Lock) are critical for ransomware protection and demonstrating NIS-2 resilience.
For UK companies with operations or customers in the EU, the Network and Information Systems 2 (NIS-2) Directive introduces significant compliance overhead, effective October 2024. The directive mandates stringent cybersecurity risk management, with a sharp focus on the security of your entire supply chain, including cloud storage providers. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €10 million or 2% of global turnover. This makes choosing a cloud storage partner a critical board-level decision, demanding solutions that are not only technically robust but also aligned with EU regulatory frameworks from the ground up.
Assess the Impact of NIS-2 on UK Businesses
While the UK is not directly implementing the NIS-2 Directive, any UK business providing essential services within the EU must comply. This affects thousands of UK firms in sectors like digital infrastructure, healthcare, and finance. The directive expands its scope to 18 critical sectors, a 25% increase from the original NIS directive. A primary focus is securing the supply chain, making you directly accountable for your cloud provider's security posture. This new reality requires a minimum of 30% more diligence in vendor selection processes. This shift from internal security to full-spectrum supply chain responsibility is the directive's core challenge.
Prioritise Sovereign Storage for Compliance
NIS-2 places a heavy emphasis on data security and governance, which directly impacts cloud storage choices. Using a sovereign-by-design storage provider is the most direct way to meet these obligations. Impossible Cloud offers strictly European, GDPR-compliant object storage, reducing cross-border data transfer complexities by over 50%. Our services use exclusively certified European data centers with country-level geofencing, ensuring your data stays within EU legal boundaries. This eliminates any exposure to the CLOUD Act, a key concern for 9 out of 10 businesses handling sensitive EU data. A truly compliant cloud architecture provides verifiable proof of data residency. This focus on EU-centric governance is no longer optional for those operating within the bloc.
Implement Technical Measures for NIS-2 Resilience
The directive mandates specific technical and organisational measures to manage security risks. Impossible Cloud's architecture directly addresses these needs with multi-layer encryption for data in transit and at rest. For ransomware protection, our Immutable Storage with S3 Object Lock provides a WORM (Write-Once-Read-Many) model, making backups unchangeable for their entire retention period. This feature alone can thwart over 95 % of common ransomware attacks. We also provide robust Identity and Access Management (IAM) with MFA and RBAC to satisfy strict access control policies. Here are four key features for resilience:
Immutable Backups: Use S3 Object Lock to make critical backup data tamper-proof for set periods.
Multi-Layer Encryption : Ensure all data is encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit.
Granular Access Control: Implement IAM policies with role-based access to limit data exposure to only necessary personnel.
“Always-Hot” Architecture: Access all data instantly for faster disaster recovery, with 100% of objects available in milliseconds.
These integrated security measures provide a solid foundation for your NIS-2 compliance strategy.
Secure Your Supply Chain with a Vetted Partner
Under NIS-2, your cloud storage provider is a critical part of your regulated supply chain. Their security failures become your compliance failures, with incident reporting required within 24 hours in some cases. Impossible Cloud is sovereign by design, built to remove this risk. We provide full S3-API compatibility, ensuring your existing tools and scripts work without modification, reducing migration friction by up to 80%. Our transparent model with no egress fees or API call costs means your compliance budget remains predictable. For our UK partners, we work with local distributors like Northamber plc to ensure seamless onboarding and support. A partner-ready approach simplifies compliance for the entire channel.
Align with the EU Data Act for Future-Proofing
The EU Data Act, taking effect from September 2025, complements NIS-2 by mandating data portability and interoperability. It grants customers the right to easily switch between cloud providers without technical or financial penalties. Impossible Cloud's architecture is built on this principle. We have zero egress fees, ensuring you can move your data at any time without facing bills that run into thousands of pounds. Our use of the standard S3 API guarantees that your data remains portable. This commitment to open standards protects your long-term freedom and avoids vendor lock-in, a key tenet of the new EU regulations. This prepares you for regulatory demands that are just 12 months away.
Build a Practical Roadmap to NIS-2 Readiness
Achieving compliance requires a structured approach that integrates technology and process. A 4-step plan can streamline your journey. First, classify all data to identify what falls under NIS-2's scope based on your EU operations. Second, conduct a gap analysis of your current storage provider against NIS-2's supply chain requirements. Third, migrate at-risk data to a geofenced, EU-sovereign platform like Impossible Cloud, a process that can be completed 30% faster with full S3 compatibility. Finally, document all processes and configure immutable backups to create an audit-ready trail. A resilient backup strategy is your final line of defense. This proactive planning turns a regulatory burden into a competitive advantage.
More Links
The European Commission provides comprehensive information about the NIS2 Directive on its Digital Strategy website.
The European Parliament offers legislative documents, including potential future acts related to cybersecurity.
Morgan Lewis provides insights into new UK cybersecurity measures relevant to data centers and managed service providers.
DLA Piper offers an analysis of the UK Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill and its connection to NIS2.
Wikipedia presents a general overview of cybersecurity regulation.
FAQ
How does Impossible Cloud help UK businesses comply with NIS-2?
Impossible Cloud offers a sovereign-by-design object storage solution that operates exclusively in certified European data centers. With features like geofencing, immutable storage (S3 Object Lock), multi-layer encryption, and a zero-egress-fee model, it directly addresses the supply chain security, data resilience, and cost predictability requirements of NIS-2 for your EU operations.
Is my data safe from the US CLOUD Act with Impossible Cloud?
Yes. Because Impossible Cloud is a European company that stores all data exclusively within EU data centers under EU law, it is not subject to extra-territorial US laws like the CLOUD Act. This provides legal certainty for sensitive data.
Can I use my existing backup tools with Impossible Cloud?
Absolutely. Impossible Cloud is fully S3 API compatible, which means it integrates out-of-the-box with leading backup and data management tools. This ensures a seamless migration and protects your existing software investments.
What makes the 'Always-Hot' storage model better for compliance?
Our 'Always-Hot' model ensures all your data is immediately accessible without any restore delays or fees associated with tiered storage. For compliance and disaster recovery, this simplifies operations and guarantees you can access audit logs or restore critical data instantly during an incident, helping meet NIS-2's business continuity requirements.
How does your pricing model support compliance management?
Compliance often involves unpredictable costs, such as needing to retrieve large datasets for audits. Our transparent pricing model has no egress fees or API call charges. This predictability ensures that your compliance and data recovery activities don't lead to surprise bills, making your budget management much simpler.
How can I get started with a NIS-2 compliant storage solution?
You can start by talking to one of our experts to discuss your specific NIS-2 requirements. We offer a free trial to test our platform's performance and S3 compatibility with your existing tools, allowing you to validate our solution with zero risk.
