Dubai International Financial Centre the Gold Standard for Information Security

• UK Consular General presents best practice ISO/IEC 27001:2013 – Information Security Management System to CEO of DIFC Authority
• Implementation of best practices in information security is vital for protecting businesses, their reputation and reaffirming client confidence
• Builds on best practice international regulatory structures and gives 1,500 firms and 21,000 professionals the data protection environment to invest across the region

Dubai-UAE: 30 November, 2016 – Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading international financial centre connecting businesses and financial institutions with emerging markets across the $7.8 trillion Middle East, South Asia and Africa (MEASA) region, has been awarded the ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation in Information Security Management Systems. Presented on Tuesday 29^th November to Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority by UK Consular General, Mr Paul Fox on behalf of the British Standards Institute, the accreditation is testament to the Centre’s efforts in ensuring a secure environment for clients to operate in the information age.

ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation, recognises the highest quality of financial data, intellectual property or customer sensitive information protection and use as well as putting in place steps to help identify and reduce information assurance risks. The robust framework which DIFC has developed requires surveillance audits for the next two years to maintain the high standard and gives clients the highest level of gold standard confidence that their information can be shared with DIFC for regulatory purposes. The 8 months of rigorous implementation also certifies DIFC Data Centre Co-Location services, adding value to clients using these services and meeting their computing facility audit requirements.

DIFC already has a strong reputation for an internationally recognised and respected regulatory framework of processes, licencing requirements and procedures for companies keen to set up their business in the region and expand operations into the world’s fastest growing markets.  The accreditation builds on this by recognising that information security is a key regulatory competitive advantage and DIFC is committed to providing the best environment in which to do business for its clients, backed up by its independent Data Protection Commissioner.