Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC) and The British Standards Institution (BSI) sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

 20th November 2018

Amer Sharafuddin Sharaf, Senior Director - Compliance Support and Alliances, DESC and Theuns Kotzé, Managing Director – BSI Middle East and Africa, signed the MoU in the presence of senior officials from both the organizations. The signing ceremony was held at DESC’s headquarters in Emirates Towers, Dubai.

The Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) was founded pursuant to Law No. 11 in 2014 with the aim to develop and implement information security practices and set good-practice criteria for cyber security, across the Emirate.

BSI, the business standards company, is a global leader in the establishment of IoT and cyber security ‘best practice’, working closely with governments, industry and academia around the world.

The objective of the Memorandum is to enhance cooperation between DESC and BSI in the areas of standardization and conformity assessment, sharing best practice in the development of information and cyber security policies, initiatives to combat cyber threats and programmes to ensure the effective adoption of digital technology. Under the terms of the MOU, BSI in partnership with DESC will develop standards, certifications, training & testing schemes to the support this implementation within the Emirate.

The agreement includes collaboration to develop and enhance policies on “Internet of Things” ( IOT ) security covering  key sectors of the Emirate such as: Built Environment, Healthcare and Food, and the development and implementation of measures addressing the opportunities and risks associated with SCADA systems and digital biomedical products.

During the ceremony, Theuns Kotze commented,“The disruptive impact of digital transformation, through technologies presents huge opportunities but also significant risks. BSI recognizes that DESC is of critical importance in establishing Dubai as a global leader in innovation, safety and security. We are delighted to collaborate closely with DESC and support the Dubai cyber security strategy. DESC will become a key element of BSI’s IoT and Digital Transformation global community, benefitting from, and contributing to global Standards on the security of digital technologies.”

Acknowledging the importance of the partnership,  Amer Sharaf, Senior Director of Compliance Support and Alliances at DESC said,” As part of our Dubai Cyber Security Strategy, establishing collaborations is one of our main domains in achieving a safe cyberspace, therefore, with the transnational risks of cyberspace, we always look forward to seeking partnerships with other regional and international cities in exchanging experiences to ensure cyber resilience. This collaboration with BSI, advances our efforts towards preserving the digital future of Dubai as well as implementing the best practices in the field of cyber security across the Emirate.”