UAE Information Assurance Compliance

Clear, risk-based compliance for UAE-regulated financial institutions

The UAE Information Assurance (IA) Standard version 2 is mandated for financial institutions regulated by the UAE Central Bank and entities classified as part of the UAE’s Critical Information Infrastructure.

For many organisations, the challenge lies in understanding applicability and implementing the standard in a way that is practical, defensible and aligned with regulatory expectations. Penta supports regulated financial institutions in assessing, aligning and operationalising UAE IA v2 requirements through secure, compliant IT environments and proven cyber risk and compliance expertise.

UAE IA v2

What is the UAE Information Assurance Standard v2?

The UAE Information Assurance Standard v2 is a national cyber security framework issued by the UAE Cyber Security Council. It defines minimum requirements for protecting information and technology assets across critical sectors, including financial services.

The standard establishes a structured set of management and technical controls covering:

  • Governance, strategy and risk management
  • Information security policies and procedures
  • Identity and access management
  • Logging, monitoring and incident response
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery
  • Third‑party and outsourcing risk

A core principle of the framework is its risk‑based approach, allowing requirements to be applied based on the nature, size and complexity of the organisation.

 

Entities within scope are expected to demonstrate compliance based on applicability, risk assessment and documented justification for any exclusions.

 

 

 

Without a structured approach, organisations risk either under‑compliance or unnecessary over‑engineering.

 

 

How Penta supports UAE IA v2 compliance

Penta delivers UAE IA v2 support through a structured, repeatable programme designed for regulated environments.

 

Phase 1

Applicability and gap assessment

  • Determine scope and proportionality
  • Map UAE IA v2 controls to existing frameworks and controls
  • Identify priority gaps and risks
  • Provide a clear remediation roadmap
Phase 2

Remediation and control implementation

  • Governance and policy alignment
  • Technical and operational control implementation
  • Secure architecture and environment design where required
  • Integration with compliant private cloud and security services
Phase 3

Operationalisation and evidence

  • Documentation and evidence packs
  • Regulatory and audit readiness support
  • Ongoing monitoring and reporting
  • Optional managed security and compliance services

 

 

Mohammad-Hammoudeh

 

“UAE Information Assurance v2 is not about implementing every control blindly. It is about understanding applicability, risk and intent, then building controls that are defensible, auditable and fit for regulated environments.”

 

Mohammad Hammoudeh - Programme Lead

 

Mohammad is one of Penta’s senior Information Security Specialists and leads Penta’s UAE Information Assurance v2 programme.

His role is to help regulated financial institutions protect their environments from cyber threats while meeting complex regulatory and compliance requirements. Mohammad works closely with clients to assess their current security posture, establish robust information security and risk management frameworks, and ensure that risk treatment plans are implemented correctly and effectively.

Together with his team, he continuously monitors threat levels and security controls, ensuring that client environments remain secure, resilient and aligned with regulatory expectations.

As the lead for UAE Information Assurance v2 at Penta, Mohammad supports organisations in interpreting applicability, translating regulatory requirements into operational controls, and building clear, defensible and auditable compliance programmes.

 

 

Start with clarity

If you are uncertain how UAE Information Assurance v2 applies to your organisation, the most effective first step is a focused discussion.

Book a UAE IA v2 readiness discussion to:

  • Confirm applicability and scope
  • Understand regulator expectations
  • Identify realistic next steps
Request a session with one of our specialists

Why Penta?

Penta is a trusted private cloud, cyber risk and compliance partner for regulated financial institutions.

  • Extensive experience supporting regulated environments
  • ISO 27001:2022 certified
  • Secure private cloud infrastructure in sovereign jurisdictions
  • Compliance‑by‑design infrastructure and operating models
  • Certified Microsoft Partner with certified cloud architects, engineers and compliance professionals
  • A trusted partner for over 120 banks and financial institutions


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