Dubai - MENA Herald: The Department of Economic Development (DED) in Dubai has received the ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 Certification on account of its efforts and commitment towards providing secure and high quality information technology services to employees as well as customers and adopting international best practices in information security.
The certification marks a milestone in DED’s efforts to implement a series of internal systems and reforms in line with the thrust of the Dubai Government towards harnessing state-of-the-art smart technologies for improving services and security for residents as well as visitors. ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 specifies standards in establishing and managing effective systems that guarantee the security, confidentiality and integrity of information across organisations.
DED received the certification from United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS), a prestigious global body authorised to assess organisations against internationally agreed quality standards. Information security systems in DED was audited over several days by a neutral firm called SGS Consulting, before the certification was awarded by UKAS. His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of DED, received the certification from Dr. Shahul Mansoor, representative of SGS consulting firm.
"This recognition follows continued support from the leadership in Dubai in motivating and directing government agencies to adopt best practices and provide the highest levels of service to customers in order to facilitate safe access to a range of electronic services. It also reflects the bright image of Dubai and marks a paradigm shift in providing fast and safe access to smart services,” remarked Al Qamzi.
Abdullah Hassan, CEO of Shared Services in DED added that ISO/IEC 27001 is an international quality standard in information security management system (ISMS) introduced in 2005. “The standards specified under ISO/IEC 27001 are related to best practices in ISMS and evaluates organisations and enterprises for the level of application of such practices in the areas of information technology management and IT security.”
Hanadi Eid, Director of the Information Technology Department in DED commented that the ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 certification would motivate DED to continue adopting international best practices, and provide an additional incentive for the IT team to enhance their efforts towards keeping Dubai in the forefront of cities with secure IT systems.
“With the increasing reliance on advanced information technology in the provision of electronic and smart government services, IT systems are facing various challenges in ensuring the security of data and information relating to the organisation and customers. We are proud that we are rising up to such challenges and the strategies, policies and technological innovations guiding us helps to create a safe and stable business environment in the city Dubai,” said Hanadi.
"The IT Management aims to apply the ISO/IEC 27001 standards across all internal and external e-services for employees and customers in DED, which will be beneficial to everyone. It’s part of our relentless pursuit of excellence and creativity towards realising the vision of making Dubai a safe and preferred business destination in the region," Hanadi concluded.
