May 2026. NCSC threat levels stay high for Dutch SMEs. Many teams gain ground by securing baseline controls first — MFA, patching, backups with tested restore and awareness — before large zero-trust projects.
Why baseline first?
Large customers and supervisors in 2026 often ask for the same foundation: strong authentication, vulnerability management, logging and incident response. NCSC guidance and CIS Implementation Group 1 overlap strongly with ISO 27001 Annex A. Start where abuse most often begins: login, email and endpoints.
- MFA for all administrators and remote access;
- automatic patching on endpoints and critical servers;
- backup with offline copy and annual restore test;
- phishing awareness and reporting channel for suspicious email.
Link to a lightweight ISMS
Link this to building an ISMS — not unread policy folders. Start with risks leadership understands: ransomware, identity abuse and SaaS outage. Tag measures in SoA and risk register so surveillance auditors see baseline as part of the system.
Practical week plan
- Scan which admin accounts lack MFA — fix within 14 days.
- Test one critical restore from backup — document date and result.
- See ISO 27001 certification when customers require a certificate.
In 2026 SMEs with NCSC baseline and clear ownership pass security questionnaires faster than teams chasing tooling first. Document who owns patching, backup and MFA — and show in management review that you test those measures periodically.
Combine NCSC measures with vendor management: much SME risk sits in SaaS and MSPs. Ask MFA status, backup and logging from your top five vendors and record exceptions with remediation or board-accepted risk.
Plan a tabletop from phishing to ransomware. NCSC scenarios are a useful starting point. Link lessons to incident process and improvement register — what ISO 27001 surveillance and NIS2 chain partners want to see.
Measure and show baseline
NCSC measures gain value when you prove they work: share of admin accounts with MFA, patch compliance, date of last restore test. Put those KPIs in management review — leadership need not be technical to see trend.
Combine awareness with measurable behaviour: phishing simulation report rate, time to patch critical CVEs. That gives auditors concrete samples alongside policy.
When customers ask for ISO 27001, use NCSC baseline as the starting point for SoA rationale — not a parallel project beside the ISMS.
Share NCSC progress in plain language with non-technical colleagues — awareness works when people see why MFA or phishing reports help them directly. Link to HR onboarding so new staff get basics on day one.
Measure baseline and inform leadership
Measure before and after baseline implementation: MFA coverage, patch compliance, restore success and phishing report rates. Leadership understands numbers better than abstract “we are working on it” updates. Link metrics to management review and the improvement register.
NCSC measures do not replace ISO 27001 when customers require certification — but they accelerate the programme. Document which baseline controls you include in the SoA as risk treatment and which you still develop.
Share successes and near-misses in plain language with non-technical colleagues. Awareness works when people see why MFA and phishing reports help them directly.
Next steps in your ISMS
Turn this article into one concrete action in your risk register or improvement plan: owner, deadline, expected evidence. Discuss progress in the next management review — auditors and chain partners want decisions, not policy intent alone. Link where possible to existing ISO 27001, NIS2 or GDPR documentation so you do not maintain parallel folders.
Questions on scope, certification or chain requirements? Use our readiness overview and knowledge base for deeper guidance. This article does not replace legal or audit advice for your situation.
Share relevant findings briefly with line management and procurement — compliance becomes workable when the whole organisation recognises the same priorities. Repeat the chosen action quarterly in team meetings and update evidence locations in your SoA or control plan so surveillance samples are easy to answer.
What to do this week
Pick one concrete action from this article, assign an owner and add it to your risk or improvement register with a deadline. Share briefly in team meetings so compliance is something the line recognises. Repeat quarterly in management review so leadership sees progress, not only intent.
Note: this article is educational and does not replace legal, privacy or audit advice for your specific situation.