Using Threat Intelligence to Support Regulatory Compliance 

As cyber threats evolve in scale and sophistication, governments and regulatory bodies are tightening cybersecurity and data protection regulations. Compliance is not only about avoiding fines but also about building trust, enhancing operational resilience, and safeguarding long-term business success. Data breaches and cyberattacks can disrupt operations and as such, organisations should prioritise compliance to mitigate financial and legal risks whilst fostering customer confidence.

Regulatory frameworks are becoming increasingly stringent to address the growing complexity of digital threats. From the EU’s NIS2 Directive and Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) to the United States’ SEC Cybersecurity Rules, regulations are pushing businesses to adopt more proactive and transparent cybersecurity practices. These laws have far-reaching implications, affecting multinational companies and organisations with international supply chains. As a result, organisations of all sizes must align with global standards to remain competitive and maintain trusted partnerships.

The global regulatory landscape driving cybersecurity investments

As regulations set new cybersecurity standards, organisations are increasingly compelled to adopt threat intelligence solutions. These laws require businesses to enhance risk assessments, incident reporting, and data protection measures. For example, the NIS2 Directive expands cybersecurity obligations for essential and digital service providers in the EU. In the US, the SEC Cybersecurity Rules mandate the timely disclosure of significant cyber incidents and detailed risk management reporting.

The EU’s DORA strengthens operational resilience in the financial sector, whilst the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and evolving AI governance rules continue to be used to scrutinise data protection and automated decision-making systems. Non-compliance with these regulations can lead to fines, legal action, and reputational damage. Consequently, investing in threat intelligence has become essential for early risk identification, swift incident response, and ensuring compliance.

The UK’s regulatory approach to cybersecurity and data protection

From mandating increased incident reporting to reinforcing individual data rights and AI governance, the UK is leading in cybersecurity regulation with laws that protect national resilience and consumer data.

Key changes over the past decade years:

In addition to these national regulations, the UK is aligning with global standards to ensure competitiveness and maintain trusted international partnerships. As cross-border operations become increasingly complex, organisations must navigate both national and sector-specific regulations. This includes those issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). 

In particular, the financial sector is a key target for cybercriminals. This makes the sector subject to stringent cybersecurity regulations. Third-party risk management is a key requirement for UK financial institutions, ensuring suppliers maintain adequate cybersecurity measures. The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) 2024 guidance mandates robust frameworks for operational resilience, third-party risk management, and incident response preparedness. 

Threat intelligence helps these organisations identify risks across digital ecosystems, allowing proactive measures to mitigate vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with FCA and EU regulations, and safeguard operations.

The role of threat intelligence in law enforcement and policing

With a rise in cybercrime, the UK’s National Cyber Strategy places a strong emphasis on proactive threat monitoring and collaboration between the public and private sectors. Law enforcement agencies rely on threat intelligence to track and monitor cybercriminal networks targeting UK organisations and critical infrastructure.

Threat intelligence provides law enforcement with the tools to identify emerging threats, detect patterns of illicit behaviour, and gather actionable intelligence on cybercriminal activities. By integrating intelligence from various sources, law enforcement can better disrupt criminal operations, prevent attacks, and hold offenders accountable.

Additionally, real-time threat intelligence is instrumental in detecting cyber-enabled financial crimes, such as fraud, phishing, and ransomware attacks. These types of attacks are often used to target businesses and individuals alike. Law enforcement agencies also use this information to strengthen public-private partnerships, facilitating the exchange of insights and bolstering collective defences. This shared approach helps build a more resilient ecosystem to defend against growing cyber threats.

Staying on top of regulatory changes

As UK and global regulations continue to evolve, organisations must invest in advanced threat intelligence solutions to remain compliant and secure. This investment is not only defensive but also a strategic approach to long-term resilience and success. Threat intelligence supports proactive risk management, incident response, and business resilience, making it a crucial tool for navigating the complex regulatory landscape.

Discover how threat intelligence can help you navigate the changing regulatory landscape while providing actionable, contextualised insights here.