NCNICC-1:2025 Explained: What Private Sector Entities in Saudi Arabia Need to Know

For years, the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) in Saudi Arabia focused its primary regulatory efforts on government entities and Crit

ical National Infrastructure (CNI). However, as the Kingdom accelerates its digital transformation under Vision 2030, the private sector has become a critical engine of economic growth—and an increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals. To address this, the NCA has introduced a landmark regulatory framework: the Cybersecurity Controls for Private Sector Entities Without Critical Infrastructure (NCNICC-1:2025) .

This new framework sends a clear and undeniable message to businesses across the Kingdom: cybersecurity compliance is no longer optional for the private sector. Whether you are a large enterprise or a growing mid-size company, understanding and implementing NCNICC-1:2025 is now a baseline requirement for doing business securely in Saudi Arabia.

The Strategic Shift Behind NCNICC-1:2025

The introduction of NCNICC-1:2025 is directly tied to the economic ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to increase the private sector's contribution to the GDP to 65% and raise SME contribution to 35% . As non-CNI organizations—such as retail chains, technology startups, logistics firms, and SaaS providers—digitize their operations, they handle vast amounts of sensitive data.

The NCA recognized that leaving this expanding sector without a unified cybersecurity standard posed a significant national risk. NCNICC-1:2025 was designed to establish a consistent, baseline level of cybersecurity maturity across the private sector, ensuring that businesses can defend against evolving threats like ransomware, phishing, and supply chain attacks .

Who Must Comply? Understanding the Tiered Approach

One of the most practical aspects of the NCNICC-1:2025 framework is its tiered applicability. The NCA recognizes that a mid-size logistics company does not have the same resources or risk profile as a massive retail conglomerate. Therefore, the controls are divided based on the size and revenue of the organization .

Classification	Employee Count	Annual Revenue (SAR)	Compliance Focus
Class A (Large Entities)	More than 250 full-time employees	More than 200 Million	Comprehensive mandatory controls across Governance, Defense, and Third-Party Security. Independent audits required.
Class B (SMEs)	6 to 249 full-time employees	3 Million to 200 Million	Focused mandatory technical defense controls (MFA, backups, endpoint protection). Governance structures are highly recommended.

Table 1: NCNICC-1:2025 Applicability Thresholds and Compliance Focus . Note: Micro-enterprises below these thresholds are encouraged, though not strictly mandated, to adopt these controls.Core Domains of NCNICC-1:2025

The framework is structured around key domains that cover both the management and technical execution of cybersecurity. For mid-size businesses (Class B), while some heavy governance requirements are relaxed, the technical defense mandates are strict and non-negotiable .

1. Cybersecurity Governance

Governance ensures that cybersecurity is managed from the top down. For Class A entities, this means establishing an independent cybersecurity unit, defining risk management methodologies, and conducting regular audits. For Class B entities, the NCA heavily emphasizes Cybersecurity Awareness, mandating that employees receive regular training on identifying threats like phishing and social engineering .

2. Cybersecurity Defense (The Technical Layer)

This is the operational core of the framework, where most controls are mandatory for both Class A and Class B entities . Key requirements include:

•Identity & Access Management: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is mandatory for remote access and access to sensitive systems.

•Asset and Endpoint Protection: Organizations must maintain an accurate asset inventory and deploy robust antivirus/anti-malware solutions across all endpoints.

•Data Protection: Data must be encrypted both at rest and in transit. Furthermore, regular, secure backups are mandatory to protect against data loss from ransomware.

•Network Security: Mandatory implementation of firewalls, web application protection, and email filtering protocols (SPF/DMARC/DKIM) to thwart phishing attempts.

•Vulnerability Management: Regular patching and vulnerability scanning are required across the board. (Penetration testing is mandatory for Class A, but recommended for Class B) .

3. Third-Party and Cloud Security

As businesses increasingly rely on external vendors and cloud infrastructure, supply chain risks have multiplied. NCNICC-1:2025 requires organizations to ensure their cloud environments and virtual servers are properly segregated and secured. Large entities must mandate security requirements in their vendor contracts, a practice strongly recommended for SMEs to prevent third-party breaches .

Practical Steps to Achieve Compliance

For many mid-size companies, the mandates of NCNICC-1:2025—particularly the technical defense controls like 24/7 monitoring, vulnerability management, and secure backups—can seem overwhelming. However, achieving compliance does not require building an expensive in-house Security Operations Center (SOC).

1.Determine Your Classification: Assess your employee count and annual revenue to confirm whether you fall under Class A or Class B.

2.Conduct a Gap Assessment: Evaluate your current cybersecurity posture against the specific NCNICC-1:2025 controls applicable to your tier. Identify where your technical defenses or policies fall short.

3.Prioritize Mandatory Defenses: If you are an SME, immediately prioritize the implementation of MFA, endpoint protection, data encryption, and regular backups.

4.Partner with a Licensed MSOC: The most efficient way for mid-size businesses to meet these rigorous technical requirements is by partnering with a Managed SOC (MSOC) provider. A licensed MSOC can deploy the necessary monitoring, threat detection, and incident response capabilities required by the NCA, ensuring continuous compliance without the overhead of an internal team.

Conclusion

The release of NCNICC-1:2025 marks a new era for corporate cybersecurity in Saudi Arabia. It elevates cybersecurity from an IT afterthought to a fundamental business requirement. By embracing these controls, private sector entities not only avoid regulatory scrutiny but also build the operational resilience needed to thrive in the Kingdom's rapidly expanding digital economy.

At SmartCyber, we specialize in helping Saudi businesses navigate complex regulatory landscapes. Our Managed SOC services are designed to seamlessly align your operations with NCA frameworks, providing enterprise-grade security tailored for mid-size organizations.