Alexander Sverdlov
Author

Alexander Sverdlov

CEO and founder, Venvera

Alexander is the founder of Venvera and a 20+ year veteran of European cybersecurity and compliance. He has led security and risk programmes for regulated financial institutions, fintechs and SaaS companies operating under DORA, NIS2, GDPR, ISO 27001 and the EU AI Act. Before Venvera, he founded Atlant Security, an offensive security consultancy that ran penetration tests, red-team exercises and ISO 27001 readiness programmes for clients across the EU and the Middle East. He writes on the cross-framework realities of running modern compliance: how to map one control to many obligations, where the spreadsheets fall apart, and what regulators are actually asking for once the auditor sits down.

Expertise

  • DORA implementation and Register of Information
  • NIS2 readiness and supply-chain risk
  • ISO 27001 / 27002 implementation and audit prep
  • GDPR and DPO operations
  • EU AI Act conformity assessment
  • Cross-framework control mapping and crosswalking
  • Operational resilience testing (TLPT, scenario testing)
  • Third-party risk management and vendor due diligence
  • Offensive security and red-team operations
  • Board-level reporting on compliance posture

Background

  • Founder and CEO, Venvera - EU GRC platform covering 15 frameworks
  • Founder, Atlant Security - offensive security and ISO 27001 consultancy
  • 20+ years in cybersecurity, compliance and risk management
  • Hands-on author of 125+ field-tested articles on DORA, NIS2, GDPR and ISO 27001
  • Built compliance programmes for regulated entities across the EU, UAE and Saudi Arabia
Find me:linkedin.com/in/alexsverdlatlantsecurity.com

Articles by Alexander (69)

DORA ICT Risk Management Framework: What the ESA Technical Standards Actually Require
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DORA ICT Risk Management Framework: What the ESA Technical Standards Actually Require

Your board-approved risk management PDF isn’t enough. Here’s what the ESA’s technical standards expect - in plain language, with practical examples.

Personal Data Protection for VASPs: VARA Meets the UAE PDPL
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Personal Data Protection for VASPs: VARA Meets the UAE PDPL

Your VASP has two data protection masters: VARA’s Technology Rulebook and the UAE’s federal privacy law. Here’s how to satisfy both without losing your mind.

72 Hours: VARA’s Incident Reporting and BCDR Requirements
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72 Hours: VARA’s Incident Reporting and BCDR Requirements

When a crypto security incident hits, you have exactly three days to notify VARA. That clock starts the moment you detect it - not when you finish investigating.

The 18 Cybersecurity Criteria Every VASP Must Meet Under VARA
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The 18 Cybersecurity Criteria Every VASP Must Meet Under VARA

VARA doesn’t do vague principles. It gives you a numbered list of exactly what your cybersecurity policy must cover. Here’s every single one, explained honestly.

Cryptographic Key and Wallet Management Under VARA
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Cryptographic Key and Wallet Management Under VARA

VARA doesn’t just say “protect your keys.” It specifies exactly how - from generation to destruction. This is the most crypto-native section of any regulation I’ve read.

The Complete VARA Compliance Guide for VASPs in Dubai
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The Complete VARA Compliance Guide for VASPs in Dubai

I’ve helped three crypto companies get VARA-licensed in the past year. Here’s what the Technology and Information Rulebook actually requires - stripped of the jargon, full of the stuff that actually trips people up.

VARA’s CISO and Staff Competency Requirements: What They Actually Expect
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VARA’s CISO and Staff Competency Requirements: What They Actually Expect

Your CISO can’t report to your CTO. Your developers need security training they’ll hate. And your board needs to understand cryptographic risk. Welcome to VARA governance.

Why We Switched From Vanta to Venvera for DORA - And Never Looked Back
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Why We Switched From Vanta to Venvera for DORA - And Never Looked Back

I spent four months trying to make Vanta work for DORA. Here's what I learned about square pegs and round regulatory holes.

Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) for Compliance: What They Are, How To Build Them, and the 14 KRIs Every Risk Manager Should Track in 2026
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Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) for Compliance: What They Are, How To Build Them, and the 14 KRIs Every Risk Manager Should Track in 2026

A practical, regulator-anchored guide to Key Risk Indicators for CISOs, CROs and compliance officers operating under DORA, NIS2, ISO 27001, AMLD6 and NIST CSF. Concrete KRI examples with thresholds, formulas and framework citations - including a 14-KRI starter pack for 2026.

DORA Key Risk Indicators: An Article-by-Article Guide to Tracking Operational Resilience Under EU 2022/2554
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DORA Key Risk Indicators: An Article-by-Article Guide to Tracking Operational Resilience Under EU 2022/2554

Concrete Key Risk Indicators to satisfy DORA's continuous-monitoring obligations, mapped article-by-article to Regulation (EU) 2022/2554. Covers Articles 5, 6, 9, 17-19, 24-27, 28-31 and 13 - built for CISOs and operational-resilience leads in EU financial entities.

Best KRI Software for Compliance Programmes in 2026: AuditBoard vs Drata vs Vanta vs Venvera
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Best KRI Software for Compliance Programmes in 2026: AuditBoard vs Drata vs Vanta vs Venvera

Side-by-side comparison of AuditBoard, Drata, Vanta and Venvera on Key Risk Indicator support. Includes feature matrix, pricing, framework-anchoring depth and three buyer-profile recommendations.

Best NCA ECC Compliance Software in 2026: Features, Comparisons, and Why Cross-Framework Mapping Changes Everything
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Best NCA ECC Compliance Software in 2026: Features, Comparisons, and Why Cross-Framework Mapping Changes Everything

Compare the best software platforms for Saudi NCA Essential Cybersecurity Controls (ECC) compliance. 114 controls across 5 domains, cross-framework mapping to ISO 27001 and NIST CSF, automated gap assessments, and one-click board reports.

Best NIS2 Compliance Software for Startups (2026)
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Best NIS2 Compliance Software for Startups (2026)

NIS2 for Startups · 2026 Buyer's Guide NIS2 isn't optional, the fines are real, and your board members are personally liable. Here's what I learned evaluating...

Best GDPR Compliance Software for SaaS Companies (2026)
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Best GDPR Compliance Software for SaaS Companies (2026)

GDPR for SaaS · 2026 Buyer's Guide GDPR fines hit €4.2 billion in 2025. Your SaaS company processes EU personal data. Here's every platform I tested, what they...

ISO 42001 vs. EU AI Act: Are They the Same Thing, or Do You Need Both?
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ISO 42001 vs. EU AI Act: Are They the Same Thing, or Do You Need Both?

AI Governance · March 2026 Two paths to AI governance - one is a voluntary certification, the other is binding law. Understanding where they overlap, where...

Best Alternative to Vanta for EU AI Act Compliance in 2026
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Best Alternative to Vanta for EU AI Act Compliance in 2026

AI Governance & Compliance Best Alternative to Vanta for EU AI Act Compliance in 2026 Why ISO 42001 support isn't enough - and what you actually need to...

Best Alternatives to Vanta for GDPR Compliance in 2026
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Best Alternatives to Vanta for GDPR Compliance in 2026

GDPR Compliance Purpose-built GDPR management with European data residency - because your data protection compliance tool shouldn't itself be a data transfer...

Best SOC 2 Compliance Software for SaaS Companies in 2026
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Best SOC 2 Compliance Software for SaaS Companies in 2026

SOC 2 for SaaS · 2026 Buyer's Guide I've been through three SOC 2 audits. The first nearly killed my team. The second was tolerable. The third was almost...

Best SaaS Platforms for VARA Compliance in 2026: Virtual Asset Service Provider’s Guide
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Best SaaS Platforms for VARA Compliance in 2026: Virtual Asset Service Provider’s Guide

VARA Compliance · March 2026 Dubai’s VARA Technology and Information Rulebook sets a global benchmark for crypto regulation. We evaluated five compliance...

VARA CISO Appointment and Staff Competency Requirements: Building Your Compliance Team
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VARA CISO Appointment and Staff Competency Requirements: Building Your Compliance Team

VARA Compliance · March 2026 You have the technology, the licence, and the business plan. But VARA will not sign off on any of it unless you can prove you have...

VARA Cybersecurity Policy Requirements: The 18 Mandatory Criteria Every VASP Must Address
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VARA Cybersecurity Policy Requirements: The 18 Mandatory Criteria Every VASP Must Address

🔒 VARA Cybersecurity · March 2026 Part I, Section B of the VARA Technology Rulebook prescribes exactly what your cybersecurity policy must cover. Here is every...

VARA Penetration Testing and Smart Contract Audit Requirements: What VASPs Need to Know
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VARA Penetration Testing and Smart Contract Audit Requirements: What VASPs Need to Know

VARA Compliance · March 2026 A detailed breakdown of Part I Section E testing obligations, Schedule 1 Risk Category 2 security testing standards, and Risk...

VARA Compliance Guide for Virtual Asset Service Providers in Dubai: What You Need to Know in 2026
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VARA Compliance Guide for Virtual Asset Service Providers in Dubai: What You Need to Know in 2026

🌐 VARA Compliance · March 2026 Dubai’s VARA Technology and Information Rulebook sets one of the world’s most detailed regulatory standards for crypto...

VARA Cryptographic Key and Wallet Management Requirements: A Technical Deep Dive
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VARA Cryptographic Key and Wallet Management Requirements: A Technical Deep Dive

VARA Compliance · March 2026 A practitioner’s guide to Part I Section D of the VARA Technology and Information Rulebook, Schedule 1 Risk Category 2, and what...

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