19 October, 2009

The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), represented by the UAE Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abu Dhabi Retirement, Pensions & Benefits Fund; where the aeCERT coordinates and supports the response to wider cyberspace incidents and preserve Information Technology (IT) infrastructure of the Fund.

The Signing Ceremony took place at the TRA Stand in GulfComms Exhibition of the GITEX Technology Week, at Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre. The signatories were H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA Director General, and H.E. Hamad Saif Al Mansouri, the Fund's Executive Director.

This MoU comes in line with the Fund's objectives to provide the needed security for the confidential information and database of the Fund, and within the continuous aim to achieve information security against Internet threats.

To this end, Mr. Al Ghanim assured that this MoU will contribute in achieving a number of the TRA objectives for which the aeCERT was established, such as improving the IT infrastructure security of the Fund through providing consultancy, monitoring and incident response.

Mr. Al Ghanim expressed the importance of this MoU that aims to provide all the services needed by the Fund to preserve its IT infrastructure through the high quality services that the aeCERT offers, which are within the aeCERT strategy to enhance information security awareness across the UAE; to build national expertise in information security, incident management and computer forensics; to provide a central trusted point of contact for cyber security incident reporting in the UAE; to establish a national center to disseminate information about threats, vulnerabilities and cyber security incidents; to foster the establishing of and provide assistance to sector-based Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), to coordinate with domestic and International CSIRTs and related organizations; and to become an active member of recognized security organizations and forums.

"The aeCERET is one of the TRA initiatives established to apply its strategy to support a safe cyberspace in the UAE, where the aeCERT was accredited by the Ministerial Council for Services Direct Number (5/89) for 2008 as the National CERT of the UAE, to facilitate the detection, prevention and response of cyber security incidents on the Internet. Committed to launch initiatives that will result in developing the ICT sector, the TRA, represented by the aeCERT, introduced SALIM last month, the Emirati Cyber Security Advisor, following the first phase of the awareness campaign on how to prevent Internet threats. SALIM will provide IT and Internet end users with tips that will protect them against cyber threats and guide them towards a safe cyber culture in the UAE. The TRA, through the aeCERT, will continue to spread electronic awareness via SALIM and via signing similar MoUs with all UAE private and public institutes and companies to insure a safe cyberspace for all Internet users, whether corporations or individuals," added Al Ghanim.

In this respect, H.E. Hamad Saif Al Mansouri, said: "We are pleased to be the pioneers in signing this MoU with the TRA. The Fund has signed this MoU for its importance and benefits to the Fund's IT end users, whether among its employees or its constituents through the Fund's website."

"The Fund's five-year strategic plan aims to establish the Fund as one of the best five entities to offer retirement services worldwide. Hence, providing a secured information system against all threats is one of the ways to achieve our objectives and vision that were placed by the government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which will help us in the near future to offer to our constituents several services that would enable them to benefit from our services without online, without having to travel from far; whether individuals, governmental, semi-governmental or private sectors," added Al Mansouri.

"The aeCERT of the TRA will test the Fund's system and report on all technical issues that the Fund should take into consideration and provide all the needed support to solve the system's security matters. The aeCERT will conduct periodical testing experiments on the Fund's computer system to insure its quality and security, for the Fund to be aware of all potential outside threats against its computer system. The aeCERT will educate and spread awareness among all employees of the Fund that use the Intranet system, to be aware of the importance of preserving the system's security against outside security threats and the means of handling them," concluded Al Mansouri.