Article 27, Requirements For Testers For The Carrying Out Of TLPT, Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA)

1. Financial entities shall only use testers for the carrying out of TLPT, that:

(a) are of the highest suitability and reputability;

(b) possess technical and organisational capabilities and demonstrate specific expertise in threat intelligence, penetration testing and red team testing;

(c) are certified by an accreditation body in a Member State or adhere to formal codes of conduct or ethical frameworks;

(d) provide an independent assurance, or an audit report, in relation to the sound management of risks associated with the carrying out of TLPT, including the due protection of the financial entity’s confidential information and redress for the business risks of the financial entity;

(e) are duly and fully covered by relevant professional indemnity insurances, including against risks of misconduct and negligence.

2. When using internal testers, financial entities shall ensure that, in addition to the requirements in paragraph 1, the following conditions are met:

(a) such use has been approved by the relevant competent authority or by the single public authority designated in accordance with Article 26(9) and (10);

(b) the relevant competent authority has verified that the financial entity has sufficient dedicated resources and ensured that conflicts of interest are avoided throughout the design and execution phases of the test; and

(c) the threat intelligence provider is external to the financial entity.

3. Financial entities shall ensure that contracts concluded with external testers require a sound management of the TLPT results and that any data processing thereof, including any generation, store, aggregation, draft, report, communication or destruction, do not create risks to the financial entity.

Summary Of Article 27

Article 27 of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) outlines requirements for testers conducting Threat-Led Penetration Testing (TLPT) for financial entities. These testers must possess technical expertise in threat intelligence and penetration testing, be certified by an accredited body, and adhere to ethical frameworks. They must provide assurance regarding the management of risks, including the protection of confidential information and coverage against misconduct. Additionally, financial entities must ensure contracts with external testers guarantee proper handling of TLPT results and avoid any risk to the financial entity’s operations.

For internal testers, the financial entity must seek approval from competent authorities and ensure adequate resources are dedicated to the test, with an external threat intelligence provider to prevent conflicts of interest. Financial entities must also ensure the data generated during the testing is managed securely to prevent potential risks.