The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) introduced NCNICC-1:2025 in an attempt to set up minimum cybersecurity controls for non-Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) private sector entities in Saudi Arabia.
If we talk about its focus, it is all about placing enhanced emphasis on third-party security, cybersecurity practices, and governance.
For businesses in Saudi Arabia, this is significantly more than just a requirement for compliance. Instead, it must be seen as an opportunity for companies to get a clear idea of cybersecurity governance, risk management, and the efficacy of control systems in the face of the growth and evolution of the company.
The right cybersecurity consulting services can help organizations turn these requirements into a structured security program.
What Is NCNICC-1:2025?
NCNICC-1:2025 is the NCA’s Non-CNI Private Sector Entities Cybersecurity Controls framework. Notably, it applies to private sector entities in Saudi Arabia that do not own, operate, or host critical national infrastructure.
Moreover, the compliance requirements differ based on applicability and according to organizational classification and applicability.
Its three core components are:
- Cybersecurity governance.
- Cybersecurity enhancement.
- Cybersecurity related to external parties.
This framework provides a minimum baseline of cybersecurity protection from internal and external threats and builds cybersecurity maturity in the private sector.
Why Businesses Need to Rethink Cybersecurity Compliance?
Cybersecurity compliance can’t live in the IT department alone. Your business processes, employees, cloud environments, suppliers and technology platforms also shape an organization’s risk exposure.
Organizations should assess whether they have:
- Clear cybersecurity roles and responsibilities.
- Documented policies and procedures.
- Effective security controls across relevant technology environments.
- Defined processes for identifying and managing cyber risks.
- Appropriate oversight of external parties.
- Evidence to demonstrate ongoing compliance.
This matters because cybersecurity compliance is not simply about having policies on paper. Organizations need processes that are implemented, monitored, and updated as risks change.
From Compliance Exercise to Cyber Risk Management
Now, the key to a cybersecurity program that’s mature is how well it understands the looming risks.
To set up such a program, an organization needs to have a clear picture of the important information assets, the vulnerabilities within the system, and any external exposures.
A structured cyber risk management approach can help businesses in:
- Identifying critical assets within the system, understanding what is key to business operations.
- Assessing the prevalent cybersecurity risks by evaluating threats, identifying vulnerabilities, and reviewing existing controls.
- Prioritizing risks that can have the biggest impact on business operations.
- Monitoring the effectiveness of controls to confirm they are working as intended.
- Updating assessments as technology, operations, and threats evolve.
This makes compliance more meaningful because controls are connected to actual business risks.
Strengthening Security Beyond the Organization
External parties can introduce cybersecurity exposure even when internal controls are strong. Suppliers, technology providers, and cloud platforms therefore require appropriate oversight.
Businesses should consider:
- Third-party cybersecurity assessments.
- Security requirements within supplier agreements.
- Access controls for external users.
- Ongoing monitoring of critical vendors.
- Clear processes for managing third-party incidents.
Organizations with significant technology dependencies should also consider related NCA requirements covering areas such as data, cloud computing, operational technology, and critical systems.
The Role of Security Consulting Services
Meeting cybersecurity requirements requires more than interpreting a framework. Organizations need to understand their current maturity, identify gaps, and establish practical remediation priorities.
Specialized cyber security compliance solutions can support organizations with:
- Current-state cybersecurity assessments.
- Gap assessments against applicable NCA requirements.
- Cybersecurity governance design.
- Control implementation roadmaps.
- Third-party risk assessments.
- Compliance monitoring and reporting.
The objective should be a cybersecurity program that fits the organization’s business model rather than a collection of disconnected controls.
Uniqus Perspective
At Uniqus, we believe that NCNICC-1:2025 is an important opportunity for businesses in Saudi Arabia to strengthen their cybersecurity ecosystem. Moreover, it should not be seen as simply a compliance requirement to meet.
Organizations should focus on four priorities:
- First, establish clear ownership and accountability for the cybersecurity system within the organization.
- Second, link all security investments and controls to business risks and set them up accordingly.
- Third, develop cybersecurity capabilities that can ensure continued operations even during cyber incidents.
- Finally, extend cybersecurity expectations across the entire ecosystem.
Uniqus supports organizations across cyber strategy and governance, cyber defense and resilience, enterprise security, critical infrastructure protection, third-party security, and technology risk and compliance.
Conclusion
NCNICC-1:2025 gives Saudi businesses a clear reason to reassess how they approach cybersecurity compliance, governance, and risk. Organizations that connect controls with business priorities can build stronger and more sustainable cyber resilience.
Through specialized cybersecurity consulting services, security consulting services, and cyber risk management capabilities, Uniqus consultech helps organizations strengthen their cybersecurity posture and navigate evolving regulatory expectations.
FAQs
1: What is NCNICC-1:2025?
NCNICC-1:2025 establishes minimum cybersecurity controls for non-CNI private sector entities operating in Saudi Arabia.
2: Who does NCNICC-1:2025 apply to?
The controls apply to qualifying large, medium, and small non-CNI private sector entities in Saudi Arabia.
3: Why are cybersecurity consulting services important for compliance?
They help organizations assess gaps, strengthen controls, establish governance, and create practical cybersecurity compliance roadmaps.
