eCompany and Cybertrust implement ISSA(Information System Security Auditing) for ADSM

Initiative brings ADSM security on par with International best practices

Dubai, May 21, 2006: eCompany, Etisalat's Business Unit that provides Internet services and ICT solutions, and Cybertrust, the global information security specialist, today announced that it had conducted a six month ISSA ( Information System Security Auditing ) for the Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADSM) thereby bringing its IT Security processes and standards in line with international best practices .

eCompany and Cybertrust conducted a comprehensive review of the IT Security processes at ADSM in term of a Business Risk and a Technical Risks Assessment. From a technical stand point, the assessment reviewed the security of the existing technology, system configuration and scanning of vulnerabilities on the system.

eCompany and Cybertrust also conducted penetration testing in terms of ethical hacking by stimulating an attack on the ADSM system. The ADSM website was also subject to a Web Application Vulnerability Assessment in order to prevent hackers from disabling the website.

The review also assessed the existing organizational structure and training needs. Significantly, the assessment through detailed gap analysis plugged gaps and identified areas for improvement in terms of control mechanisms thereby enhancing the security standards at ADSM and giving a realistic comparison with international best practices such as the BS 7799 certification. The project will eventually help ADSM ensure network uptime , prevent Internet breaches and protect confidentiality of data at all times.

Khalfan Al Mazrouei, IT Manager, Abu Dhabi Securities Market, said , "In the last five years, ADSM has grown into five offices with two more opening this year; has over 60 registered brokerage firms and has links with three international exchanges. As our reach continues to grow, IT security has never been so important to the UAE financial markets. We are currently aiming to become the first exchange in the UAE to achieve ISO 17799 certification and are delighted with the work eCompany and Cybertrust has done to benchmark our system."

"We are extremely pleased at this opportunity to work with ADSM which is a leading stock exchange in the Middle East, "said Abdulla Hashim, Assistant General Manager, eCompany ." We see the financial sector as one of the most critical segments of the security market with its inherent requirement for a higher measure of information security compared to other types of businesses. Moreover, this project also reflects the cutting edge expertise and local knowledge of Etisalat and its partners."

Rashed Al Abbar, Product Manager, eSecurity, eCompany said, "The proposal that we presented to ADSM was a complete security model which covered all the perspectives and this was instrumental in helping ADSM decide on us as their eventual vendor. We are continuously introducing the latest technologies and methodologies in IT Security to assist organizations in achieving their goal of a highly secure business environment."

"For an organization such as ADSM, it is critical to minimize exposure to damaging threats, reduce the costs of security management and get more from in-place information security assets," said Gavan Egan, Vice President of Sales, Cybertrust. "We commend ADSM for taking further steps to increase the security of their critical data, protect identities and demonstrate ongoing compliance."

"This project has shown the successful teaming experience of two leading service providers in the region," continued Egan.

-Ends-

Note to Editors:
About eCompany
eCompany, Etisalat's e-powerhouse, is the leading provider of ICT solutions for finance, retail, business and government sectors. The intent of eCompany is to strengthen relationships with customers and partners and provide them with high-value solutions through a single point of contact. It has the facilities to provide a complete portfolio of Internet offerings, value-added services, consulting and project management. eCompany's vision is to be the customer's first choice for Internet services and e-business solutions in the region.

About ADSM
Since its inception in 2000, ADSM has grown into the largest exchange in the UAE by market capitalisation and the second largest exchange in the GCC region. Turnover has grown 200 times to more than US $28 billion, while trades have grown 100 times to more than 565,000 per annum. Market capitalisation has multiplied by 20 to $130 billion (as at the end of 2005).

About Cybertrust
Cybertrust is the global information security specialist, delivering services that secure critical data, protect identities and help customers demonstrate ongoing compliance. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, USA with more than 30 offices around the globe, Cybertrust is one of the world's largest providers of information security and is recognized as the global market leader in managed security services. For more information, visit www.cybertrust.com.

Press release issued by Corporate Communications Department - Etisalat

For further media information, please contact:
Ahmed Bin Ali, Corporate Communications Manager
Tel: 02 6182173
Fax: 02 6334448
PRD@etisalat.ae