For many European financial institutions and insurers, the mainframe remains the backbone of mission-critical operations. This mainframe technology delivers unmatched resilience and throughput—but it also concentrates risk: privileged access, highly sensitive datasets, and core transaction integrity all converge in one place. Under the DORA and NIS2 directive, organizations are expected to demonstrate stronger governance, controls, and operational evidence. In practice, NIS2 compliance is no longer just about having policies; it is about proving that controls are implemented, verified, and continuously maintained—especially in critical environments such as mainframes. At Bsecure, we are accelerating the shift toward continuous assurance for IBM zSeries (z/OS).

From scarce specialist knowledge to scalable, audit-ready control engineering

Mainframe security solutions have traditionally depended on a limited pool of rare experts who can translate regulatory requirements into technical controls, implement them, and document them with audit-grade rigor. That approach works—but it does not scale. To address this, Bsecure has built an internal AI capability based on RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), trained on our most relevant knowledge spanning decades of z/OS audit and security. The goal is straightforward: convert expert know-how into repeatable delivery, enabling teams to expand control coverage faster while keeping documentation consistent and audit-ready. This directly strengthens how organizations approach DORA and NIS2 compliance and supports alignment with other frameworks, such as GDPR or NIST 2.

What our AI does inside Bsecure DataPASS for z/OS

This is not a general-purpose chatbot. Our AI supports the full lifecycle of control engineering within our DataPASS infrastructure:
  • Understands a reasoned request for a specific control tied to a defined risk scenario.
  • Generates the control in the right structure so it can be implemented within DataPASS.
  • Produces audit-ready documentation, including what is validated, how it is validated, evidence outputs, frequency, and exceptions.
  • Maps controls to major regulations and frameworks, supporting traceability for DORA compliance, NIS2 compliance, GDPR obligations, and more.
In short: it helps translate intent into consistent controls and defensible evidence—at scale.

Practical outcomes for mainframe security and audit teams

By applying AI to control engineering in IBM z environments, organizations can improve both speed and consistency across mainframe security solutions:
  • Faster expansion of control catalogs: Reduce time-to-control for new risks and regulatory expectations, without sacrificing rigor.
  • Standardized documentation and evidence discipline: Minimize variability between consultants and teams, improving audit readiness and repeatability.
  • Scalable delivery model: Enable professionals with strong general systems experience to contribute effectively, supported by AI and DataPASS.
  • Stronger traceability for NIS2 compliance and GDPR: Improve the chain from risk → control → evidence → regulation, simplifying reporting and oversight.
This is where mainframe security software must evolve: from periodic snapshots toward continuous, measurable assurance.

Beyond compliance: operational hardening and validation

In critical systems, “compliance” is only credible when it reflects real operational control. That is why our approach is designed to complement practical security hardening and testing disciplines—such as mapping technical baselines to recognized patterns (e.g., DISA STIG-style hardening concepts, where applicable) and validating exposure through controlled testing. Bsecure also supports advanced security validation, including ethical hacking for z/OS and adjacent components where appropriate. The goal is not only to document controls but to improve real security outcomes—especially where privileged access, configuration drift, and legacy integrations create hidden risk.

Why Bsecure is different in mainframe security solutions

AI for compliance exists in many places. What is different is applying it effectively in environments where meaningful automation requires deep platform understanding. In IBM Z, generic templates aren’t enough. You need controls designed for the platform, clear evidence of discipline, and security and audit experience grounded in how z/OS actually runs. This is where Bsecure’s specialization—combined with DataPASS automation—creates a differentiated advantage in mainframe security software and mainframe security solutions: consistency, scalability, and defensible evidence, aligned with today’s regulatory expectations.

What’s next

Today, this AI capability remains an internal service at Bsecure, and we will continue training it in the coming months to expand coverage, enhance regulatory mapping for the DORA and NIS2 directive, and further raise documentation quality. For organizations that rely on mainframes, the direction is clear: audit, compliance, and security are entering a new phase—where knowledge becomes operational capability, and continuous assurance becomes measurable reality. Bsecure — The Mainframe & Security Company AI-enabled mainframe security solutions and audit-ready compliance engineering for IBM z (z/OS).