Introduction
Saudi Arabia has entered a new phase of cybersecurity regulation. With the release of the Non-Critical National Infrastructure Cybersecurity Controls (NCNICC-1:2025), the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) has formally extended mandatory cybersecurity requirements to private sector organizations that are not classified as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).
NCNICC establishes a national baseline for cybersecurity governance, operational controls, and third-party risk management. More importantly, it signals a regulatory shift: cybersecurity is now treated as a core governance obligation, not a discretionary technical function.
What Is NCNICC?
NCNICC-1:2025 is a regulatory control framework issued by the NCA to strengthen cybersecurity across Saudi Arabia’s non-CNI private sector.
It applies to organizations operating in the Kingdom that:
- Are not designated as Critical National Infrastructure
- Process, store, or manage digital systems and data
- Operate at any meaningful scale within the Saudi economy
The framework is mandatory, risk-based, and proportional to organizational size and complexity.
Why NCNICC Matters
Saudi Arabia’s digital economy is expanding rapidly across finance, healthcare, logistics, e-commerce, and cloud-based services. NCNICC was introduced to:
- Reduce systemic cyber risk across the private sector
- Ensure consistent cybersecurity maturity across organizations
- Protect national economic and data ecosystems
- Embed cybersecurity into executive decision-making
Rather than focusing solely on tools, NCNICC prioritizes structure, accountability, and evidence of control effectiveness.
Applicability and Proportionality
NCNICC is designed to scale.
Organizations are categorized based on factors such as size, revenue, and operational impact. Larger organizations are expected to implement broader and more formalized controls, while medium and smaller organizations must still meet a defined minimum baseline.
There are no exemptions — only proportional implementation.
NCNICC Control Domains
NCNICC is structured around three core cybersecurity domains. Together, they define how cybersecurity must be governed, implemented, and monitored.
NCNICC Control-Domain Overview
| Control Domain | Purpose | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity Governance | Establishes accountability and structured oversight | Roles and responsibilities, cybersecurity policies, risk management, management oversight, internal reviews |
| Cybersecurity Operational Controls | Protects systems and operations | Asset management, access control, secure configuration, network and endpoint security, vulnerability management, incident response, backup and recovery |
| Third-Party & Cloud Cybersecurity | Manages outsourced and supply-chain risk | Third-party risk assessments, contractual security requirements, supplier monitoring, secure cloud usage |
These domains ensure cybersecurity is owned, operated, and provable.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
NCNICC does not publish penalties per control, but enforcement authority is clear.
Regulatory Consequences
Failure to comply may result in:
- Formal non-compliance notices
- Mandatory remediation plans
- Follow-up audits and inspections
- Escalation to executive or board level
Cybersecurity deficiencies are treated as governance failures, not technical oversights.
Financial and Legal Exposure
Non-compliance increases exposure to:
- Administrative fines
- Regulatory restrictions
- Heightened liability following cyber incidents
If an incident occurs and controls are missing or undocumented, regulatory outcomes are significantly worsened.
Business and Procurement Impact
Non-compliant organizations may face:
- Disqualification from government tenders
- Failure in vendor due-diligence processes
- Suspension or termination of enterprise contracts
For many Saudi organizations, NCA compliance is now a commercial requirement.
Why This Is a Structural Shift
NCNICC reflects a broader regulatory transformation in Saudi Arabia:
- From reactive enforcement to preventive regulation
- From technical checklists to governance-driven compliance
- From incident response to continuous assurance
Organizations are expected to demonstrate not only what controls exist, but how they operate and are reviewed over time.
Conclusion
NCNICC-1:2025 formally embeds cybersecurity into the operational and governance fabric of Saudi Arabia’s private sector. It establishes a national baseline that organizations must meet to operate, grow, and participate confidently in the Kingdom’s digital economy.
NCNICC introduces mandatory, risk-based cybersecurity controls for non-CNI private sector organizations in Saudi Arabia. Structured across governance, operational security, and third-party/cloud risk, the framework applies proportionally based on organizational size. Failure to comply can lead to regulatory action, financial penalties, exclusion from government and enterprise business, and increased scrutiny after cyber incidents. NCNICC positions cybersecurity as a core governance obligation and a prerequisite for sustainable operations in the Kingdom.
