BSI Awards Russia's first telecoms information security certification to MTT

MTT has become the first telecommunications company in the Russian market to meet the challenging requirements of the international information security standard ISO/IEC 27001. MTT is one of the largest Russian providers of domestic and international long-distance telecommunications. MTT achieved its certification from BSI Management Systems, the world’s leading ISO/IEC 27001 certification body.

In the spring of 2005, MTT was awarded licences by Rossviaznadzor - the government body which regulates the Russian telecommunications industry - to provide domestic and international long-distance telecommunication services to consumers across the entire Russian Federation as well as to the international market.

The rapid growth in subscriber numbers made it necessary for MTT to comply with the international market and Russian legislation’s rigorous requirements for the protection of subscribers’ personal information.

MTT chose to meet these requirements through achieving certification to the international information security standard, ISO/IEC 27001. The international standard evolved from the British Standard, BS 7799, which was developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI). ISO/IEC 27001 is the only internationally recognized specification which comprehensively determines requirements for an information security management system (ISMS) to ensure an organization’s information security is properly managed and maintained.

MTT chose BSI Management Systems to certify its ISMS against the requirements of ISO/IEC 27001. The assessments were conducted by Russian auditors from BSI Management Systems CIS, the Moscow-based office of BSI Management Systems, which covers CIS countries in addition to Russia itself. 

The consultancy organization Jet Infosystems was chosen through a public tender to prepare MTT’s ISMS for certification. Jet Infosystems is a BSI Management Systems CIS consultancy partner. The specialists from Jet Infosystems were comprehensively trained in the implementation of an effective ISMS and in conducting internal audits.

Konstantin Solodukhin, General Manager of MTT states, “MTT is the first Russian telecommunications company to have its ISMS certified to ISO/IEC 27001. This not only ensures that MTT can take a competitive position in the international telecommunications market, but it also demonstrates to our clients that MTT takes the protection of their information assets seriously. Today, information security is not just a “nice to have”, but is a vital necessity”. Natalia Gorobets, General Manager of BSI MS CIS commented, “as a leader and innovator in the certification of management systems, BSI Management Systems helps its clients to comply with best practice and achieve competitive advantage. MTT has reaped the reward of a lot of hard work by becoming the first Russian telecommunications company to demonstrate to its clients and partners its compliance to ISO/IEC 27001”. Vladimir Eliseev, General Manager of Jet Infosystems, “the creation of an effective ISMS, which should run seamlessly within the organization’s entire management system, is a key asset for today’s telecommunication companies. To achieve such a positive result required robust organization and an in depth understanding of our customer’s business requirements. Jet Infosystems has successfully provided solutions, applications and consulting on information security for more than ten years.”

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Editors’ Notes
About MTT

The open joint stock company “Multiregional Transit Telecom” (OJSC “MTT” – one of the core assets of Financial Joint Stock Corporation “Sistema”) is a Russian national operator of domestic long-distance and international communication.

The company was established in 1994 for the integration of individual regional operators' cellular mobile communication networks into one common telecommunications environment in the Russian Federation. MTT provides telecom services and supports efficient interaction between more than 300 mobile operators’ networks and more than 100 fixed operators’ networks throughout the territory of Russia, with 50 foreign operators, and with more than 300 foreign operators in signaling interaction. In light of the liberalization of the RF long-distance market in 2005 the OJSC “MTT” has been granted the official status of a national operator of domestic long-distance and international communication. Since the beginning of 2006 the company renders services of domestic long-distance and international communication to fixed network subscribers on the entire territory of the country.

Sistema is the largest consumer services private sector company in Russia and the CIS with over 60 million customers. Founded in 1993, Sistema develops and manages a portfolio of market-leading businesses in the most dynamically developing segments of the economy.

Sistema`s main business areas are:

- telecommunications (MTS, Sky Link; Comstar-UTS, MTT);
- technology (SITRONICS);
- insurance (ROSNO);
- real estate (Sistema-Hals);
- banking (MBRD);
- retail (Detsky Mir);
- media (Sistema Mass Media);
- tourism (Intourist);
- radio technology (RTI-Systems).
- 
Sistema recorded consolidated revenues of US$7.59 billion in 2005, up 32% compared to 2004. Over the same period, net income increased 30% to US$534.4 million. Total consolidated assets increased by 48.8% to US$13.09 billion.

About Jet Infosystems

Joint Stock Company Jet Infosystems was established in 1991. Today Jet Infosystems and is one of the largest IT integrators on both Russian and CIS-countries markets. The Company provides a wide range of services in development and servicing of highly effective computation systems and networks, information systems management and information security solutions, IT services, implementation of particularized bank systems. Company has regional branches in 8 main Russian cities from Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok as well as representative offices in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Azerbajan. Jet Infosystems runs its projects also in Pakistan, Japan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

About BSI

BSI Group is a leader in the development of standards based business solutions, and as such is the originator of the world’s most popular management systems standards and specifications. These include the ISO 9000 series of quality management standards, ISO 14001 for environmental management, ISO/IEC 27001 for information security management, OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety, ISO 10002 for complaints management and ISO/IEC 20000 for IT service management. 
These management specifications have achieved global acceptance as tools to enhance the effectiveness of organizations.
BSI is also at the leading edge of developing standards in emerging technologies such as nanotechnology, biometrics and regenerative medicine – all of which will have a global impact in the future.
For further information on the BSI Group see: www.bsi-global.com

BSI Management Systems operates world wide to provide organizations with independent third-party certification of their management systems, including ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment), OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety), ISO/IEC 27001 (previously BS 7799 for Information Security), ISO/IEC 20000 (previously BS 15000 for IT Service Management), and BS 25999 (Business Continuity). In addition, BSI Management Systems offers a range of training services around management systems.

For further information on BSI Management Systems, please visit www.bsi-emea.com, www.bsi-russia.com