Google Workspace and NIS2: requirements and how to comply

By the QuantumSec team

If your company is subject to the NIS2 directive, your email and collaboration environment falls within scope. NIS2 doesn't mention Google Workspace by name, but it requires technical and organizational security measures that apply directly to how you configure and operate your Workspace. This guide translates those requirements into concrete actions on your Google environment.

Why Workspace falls within NIS2 scope

NIS2 requires affected entities to protect their information systems with measures proportionate to the risk. The company's email, documents and identities —that is, the Google Workspace— are critical information systems: a breach in the collaboration environment can compromise the continuity and confidentiality of the entire organization. That's why the measures NIS2 requires fully apply to your tenant.

Access control and multi-factor authentication

NIS2 requires access control policies and the use of multi-factor authentication. In Workspace this means enforcing 2-step verification across the organization (preferably with security keys or passkeys), applying least privilege to admin roles and managing the identity lifecycle, including offboarding employees who leave.

Event logging and detection capability

The directive requires detection and security event logging capabilities. Workspace offers detailed audit logs, alert rules and an investigation tool. Complying with NIS2 means enabling and retaining those logs, defining alerts for critical events (privilege changes, forwarding rules, anomalous sign-ins) and, in mature organizations, exporting them to a SIEM.

Incident management and notification

NIS2 sets incident management and notification obligations with demanding deadlines. To meet them you need procedures covering Workspace incidents —account compromise, CEO fraud (BEC), data exfiltration— and the ability to detect them and reconstruct what happened from the logs. Early detection is the difference between notifying on time or discovering the incident weeks later.

Supply chain security

NIS2 pays special attention to third-party risks. In Google Workspace, the third-party applications connected via OAuth are, in practice, providers with access to your data. Controlling which apps are authorized, with which permissions and under which policy (allowlist) is a direct supply chain security measure that helps comply with the directive.

FAQ

Does NIS2 literally require me to audit my Google Workspace?

The directive doesn't explicitly mention Workspace audits, but it requires measures (access control, MFA, logging, incident management, third-party risk) that in practice require reviewing and hardening your environment. An audit is the most effective way to demonstrate that those measures are in place.

How do I know if my company is subject to NIS2?

It depends on the sector and the size of the organization. We cover this in our NIS2 adaptation guide; if you have doubts, in an initial call we help you determine whether you're in scope and what it means for your Workspace.