Doha, Qatar - March 26, 2012: Qatar Islamic Bank - the benchmark Islamic bank in Qatar and one of the leading Islamic banks in the world - announced today that it had achieved compliance with the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) version 2.0. The PCI DSS Compliance Certificate was received today by QIB Acting CEO Ahmad Meshari from Paladion Networks CEO, Rajat Mohanty. QIB was awarded the PCI DSS standards for its entire range of payment card affiliated services across all its branches and banking channels (ATM, CDM, Internet banking, Mobile banking, Contact Centre).

PCI DSS compliance is required by all merchants and service providers that store, process, or transmit cardholder data and applies to all payment channels, including retail and e-commerce by the Payment Card Industry Council; a consortium of the major card brands i.e. VISA, Master Card, American Express, JCB and Discover. Adhering to the PCI DSS compliance requirements represents a bank's best protection against card holder data thefts.

Being in compliance with the PCI DSS Standard is crucial for managing risks, reducing losses and ensuring the protection of customer data. This certification is yet another testimony to QIB commitment to implement international best practices by investing in a wide range of IT technologies and developing state-of-the art security techniques and systems.

With this certification, QIB becomes one of the major banks in Qatar and Middle East to achieve this milestone.

Paladion Networks CEO said "With its years of experience and expertise and pool of Qualified Security Assessors (QSA), Paladion ensured that QIB implemented practical and effective solutions to meet one of the most demanding and rigorous security standards in the industry".

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About Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB)
QIB was founded in 1982 as the first Islamic financial institution and Shari'a-compliant bank in Qatar. Its products and operations are supervised by a Sharia' board composed of a number of Sharia' scholars, which ensure the bank adheres to Islamic finance principles. It is this solid foundation which has enabled today's QIB to play a leading role in developing competitive and innovative Sharia'-compliant financial products and services worldwide.

QIB has accrued a paid-up capital of QR2.36billion and has developed into the largest Islamic bank in Qatar, with a 37% share of this division and an 11% share of the banking market overall. QIB is also one of the top-five Islamic banks in the world. The bank conducts its domestic business through 30 branches spread throughout the country from where it offers Islamic financial products for the retail, corporate and private banking sectors, augmented by 135 multi-function ATM installations.

About Paladion Networks
With a global footprint across 16 countries, Paladion is a specialized and strategic partner for information risk management to leading organizations across industries including, Banking and Finance, Telecom, Oil & Gas industries. It is the largest and the fastest growing pure-play information security player in Asia (as ranked in Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific & Technology Fast 50 India - 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011). Gartner too has included Paladion in its rating of "MarketScope for Managed Security Services in Asia Pacific" - 2008 & 2009 as 'Promising' player and as a 'Positive' player in 2010.

For Media Enquiries please contact:
Mohamed Samy, Account Manager
Action Qatar
Tel: 00974 44361499
Email: samy.m@actionprgroup.com

© Press Release 2012