Developments in the information security landscape in the UAE

Analysis

Businesses and governments collect, store and process increasing amounts of information. That information is often highly confidential, sensitive and sometimes business critical. This update addresses legislative developments that come into force on 29 October 2013 and regulate information security in federal authorities in the UAE.

Securing information from unauthorised, or unlawful, access, use, modification, disclosure or harm is a priority for governments and businesses alike. Our increasing reliance on sophisticated IT solutions makes securing that information more challenging than ever before. Having recognised these challenges, government departments in the UAE are taking steps to bolster internal information security measures. In recent years, each of the governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai have implemented their own Emirate-specific information security policies. Information security measures are now being formalised at a federal level with the passing into law, on 29 October 2013, of UAE Cabinet Decision No. 21/2013 (the Decision) which regulates information security in federal authorities in the UAE.