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Financial institutions get hit with cyberattacks 300 times more than any other sector. Let that sink in. If you’re in finance, you’re not just a target—you’re the target. And that’s exactly why the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) exists. Not as another regulatory headache, but as the digital armour your organization should’ve had yesterday.
Think of DORA like strengthening your immune system. You don’t pop one vitamin and call it a day. You build resilience—daily, deliberately, relentlessly. DORA forces financial firms to do the same. Since December 2022, the clock has been ticking, and January 2025 is the moment of truth.
What’s changing? Everything. Digital resilience is no longer something the IT team quietly manages in the background. Under DORA, executives, leadership teams, and boards are now fully accountable. Resilience becomes a business decision, not an afterthought.
Because here’s the truth: DORA isn’t a box to tick. It’s a commitment to reliability. A shift in mindset. A push to stay alive in a world where digital risks never sleep.
DORA Compliance is the EU’s requirement for financial institutions to prove they can withstand and recover from digital disruptions without interrupting critical services. It creates one unified framework for managing ICT risks across the entire financial sector, replacing scattered rules with a clear, consistent standard.
In practice, DORA forces organizations to take their technology risks seriously—identifying weak points, putting strong controls in place, monitoring systems continuously, and responding fast when incidents occur. It also raises the bar on testing: firms must validate their defenses regularly, not just on paper. Third-party risk gets tighter too, with stricter oversight of critical technology providers and clearer accountability for failures.
And this isn’t limited to banks. Insurers, payment firms, investment companies, crypto providers, and the ICT vendors powering them are all included.
DORA Compliance is straightforward: show that your digital operations are reliable, secure, and ready to function even when unexpected problems hit.
DORA’s scope is much broader than most people realize. Many assume it’s aimed only at big banks, but the regulation touches almost every entity involved in delivering financial services within the EU. If you operate in this ecosystem—or support it—DORA is likely relevant to you.
DORA’s foundation is the traditional financial sector. It applies to:
A key point: size doesn’t matter. A small regional lender faces the same operational resilience expectations as a global financial institution. DORA creates a level playing field where every entity must demonstrate strong, stable digital operations.
The digital finance world sits squarely under DORA too. It includes:
The EU’s intention is clear: newer financial players must meet the same resilience standards as traditional institutions. And for crypto entities already navigating MiCA, DORA adds another layer of operational and technological requirements.
DORA also extends to the technology ecosystem that supports financial services. This covers:
This is one of the regulation’s biggest shifts. It acknowledges that financial resilience isn’t just about the institutions themselves—it’s about the tech partners behind them. If you provide, enable, or support financial operations in the EU, DORA likely applies to you.
Not every tech provider comes under DORA’s direct supervision. The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) label a provider as “critical” if it meets key factors:
Providers that tick these boxes face direct ESA oversight, no matter where they operate. Being labeled critical isn’t just a status—it puts the provider under stricter operational and security requirements, ensuring the EU’s financial ecosystem stays resilient.
DORA’s technical rules can feel overwhelming, but they boil down to five clear pillars that build real financial resilience. These pillars guide institutions to manage risks, respond to incidents, and keep operations running no matter what.
The 5 pillars of DORA are:
Let’s break down each of these five pillars and see what it really takes to stay DORA compliant.
The first step is a solid ICT risk management framework. Financial entities must:
This isn’t just paperwork. You need a clear view of your systems, data, and operations to protect what matters most.
DORA demands fast, structured incident reporting:
Deadlines apply on weekends too. Smaller entities can wait until noon of the next business day.
Testing your defenses is mandatory:
Larger institutions must conduct Threat-Led Penetration Tests (TLPTs) every three years. These mimic real-life attacks on live production systems supporting critical functions.
Third-party vendors often introduce risk. DORA requires:
Document how to switch providers without disrupting operations.
Business continuity planning is mandatory:
Backup processing sites should match business needs, be in separate locations, and be ready to maintain critical operations at all times.
Following these five pillars isn’t just compliance—it’s proving your operations can survive and thrive under any digital disruption. DORA turns resilience from a checkbox into a business requirement.
The DORA compliance deadline has passed, but financial entities still need to ensure they’re fully aligned with its requirements. Experts call this a complex task that demands focused effort.
These are the DORA checklist elements:
Let’s break them down to see what they really mean and how to implement them effectively.
You need to know where you stand right now. A gap analysis will show how your current practices match up with DORA's requirements. This full picture helps you:
The biggest financial institutions face tough challenges across many compliance areas. It helps you prioritize actions effectively.
DORA needs a complete ICT risk management framework with clear strategies, policies, and tools. Your framework should:
On top of that, assign someone in charge of ICT risk management who can work independently to avoid conflicts of interest.
You should create clear protocols to classify and report major incidents. This means setting up:
Clear incident processes let you respond quickly, stay compliant, and reduce operational impact.
Third-party relationships can create weak points. Under DORA, you should:
Proper oversight of third-party dependencies protects operations and strengthens overall resilience.
Your company must do Threat-Led Penetration Testing (TLPT) at least every three years. Your testing must:
Regular TLPT testing uncovers vulnerabilities before attackers do, keeping defenses strong.
Boards and staff must stay aware and capable:
Training ensures everyone understands their role, turning compliance into a culture of readiness.
Ignoring DORA compliance isn’t just risky—it’s expensive. Financial institutions cannot sidestep these regulations. Penalties are designed to hit hard and fast, ensuring organizations treat compliance as a priority.
Violating DORA can trigger massive fines. Regulatory authorities can impose penalties up to 1% of an institution’s average global daily turnover. For large financial organizations, this can mean millions of euros—every single day. These fines aren’t a one-time cost; they continue until compliance is achieved.
DORA penalties are not limited to a single instance. Supervisory authorities can enforce daily fines for up to six months straight. The cumulative financial impact is significant, making non-compliance an extremely costly gamble.
The financial penalties are only part of the risk. Non-compliance also harms reputation and trust:
DORA is clear: ignoring compliance carries heavy financial and reputational consequences. For financial organizations, it’s not just about fines—it’s about survival, trust, and long-term credibility.
DORA isn’t GDPR, but the consequences of ignoring EU regulations are clear from past experiences. After GDPR came into effect, major organizations faced steep penalties for non-compliance. Google was fined €50 million, British Airways €22 million, and even a small company in Poland was hit with €220,000. Size or market share didn’t matter—regulators enforced the rules strictly, sending a strong message that non-compliance has serious financial consequences.
This real-life example shows what can happen if financial institutions treat DORA as optional. Delaying compliance isn’t just a paperwork issue—it exposes organizations to financial penalties, increased regulatory scrutiny, and long-term reputational damage.
The lesson is straightforward: EU regulators enforce rules rigorously, and ignoring them comes at a high cost. Financial firms can learn from GDPR and see the value of proactive DORA compliance. Acting now protects both money and trust, while postponing action risks costly penalties and damage to credibility that may take years to repair.
DORA isn’t just another regulatory requirement—it’s a framework that defines how financial institutions manage digital resilience in today’s high-risk environment. Ensuring robust Information and Communication Technology risk management, clear incident reporting, and thorough oversight of third-party providers is no longer optional. Delaying action increases financial, operational, and reputational risks, and the cost of non-compliance can be staggering.
Organizations that embrace DORA compliance gain more than regulatory safety. A strong digital resilience framework builds customer trust, strengthens operational stability, and provides a competitive edge in a financial landscape constantly targeted by cyber threats. Fines for non-compliance can reach up to 1% of daily global revenue, highlighting the high stakes of ignoring the rules.
The message is clear: the financial sector faces cyberattacks far more frequently than other industries. DORA compliance is a critical investment in the future. Acting now not only safeguards operations and reputation but also transforms compliance from a legal obligation into a strategic advantage that supports long-term growth and resilience.
Take control of compliance, reduce risk, and build trust with UprootSecurity — where GRC becomes the bridge between checklists and real breach prevention.
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Senior Security Consultant
