Scope and accountability
Gap assessment, scope statement, policy, roles and decision rights.
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Specialised practice · ISMS
Information security and ISO 27001 consultants in the UAE.
The data you must protect mostly belongs to someone else. Our ISO 27001 consultants design, implement and prepare your information security management system (ISMS) for certification, built once so that one system of controls and evidence answers each authority that will examine it. Most engagements begin under a client contract, a board decision, or a regulator such as SIA, ADHICS, DESC ISR or the ADGM Cyber Risk Management Framework (CRMF).
Senior-led since 2013 Exsolution Consultancy (FZE), Sharjah, UAE Licence no. 12301 Engagement Lead named in your proposal SIA IA ADHICS DESC ISR ADGM CRMF DFSA GEN 5.5 Fixed scope and fee confirmed in a written proposal after a scoping conversation
What we do
What does an ISO 27001 consultant do in the UAE?
An ISO 27001 consultant designs and builds your information security management system (ISMS), facilitates its implementation with your team, and prepares it for certification by an independent certification body. In the UAE, ExSolution builds one ISMS that also evidences SIA IA, ADHICS, DESC ISR, ADGM and DFSA requirements, typically over several months for a focused scope.
Is this the right service?
Where this engagement fits.
- A regulator, client contract or board mandate requires ISO 27001 or a UAE framework that references it.
- More than one security authority (SIA IA, ADHICS, DESC ISR, ADGM or DFSA) must be answered without parallel projects.
- An existing ISMS has drifted and needs rebuilding before its next audit.
- The need is technical security operations rather than governance: engage an MSSP or technical security firm; we work alongside them.
- Continuity, not security, is the pressing mandate: Business Continuity – ISO 22301 + NCEMA 7000.
- Supplier security is the specific exposure: Vendor & Third-Party Risk.
One system, every examiner
Build the ISMS once.
Map every obligation.
A single management system can provide the governance, control evidence and audit trail required by certification bodies, regulators and demanding clients.
Here is how one ISMS is used for each authority you may face.
| Who asks | Framework | How the ISMS answers it |
|---|---|---|
| Management-system core | ISO/IEC 27001 | One governed evidence base for risk, controls, operation and assurance — scope and governance, risk assessment, Statement of Applicability, control evidence, audit and review. |
| Government & critical infrastructure | SIA IA Standards | Map IA controls into the same treatment plan and evidence set. |
| Abu Dhabi healthcare | ADHICS | Use the ISMS structure to organise healthcare-specific obligations and audit evidence. |
| Dubai government | DESC ISR | Evidence ISR requirements through controlled documents, ownership and operating records. |
| ADGM-regulated firms | ADGM CRMF | Connect board oversight, cyber risk and incident readiness to the ISMS rhythm. |
| DIFC-regulated firms | DFSA GEN 5.5 | Use a recognised framework as the governed basis for cyber-risk management. |
| Contracts & supply chains | Client requirements | Answer security questionnaires and contractual controls from the same evidence base. |
Official sources: ISO/IEC 27001:2022
Scope once.Define the entities, sites, systems and third parties against both certification and regulatory scrutiny, avoiding a second compliance exercise later.
Delivery pathway
From mandate to operating evidence.
The sequence is designed to make the system defensible before an external examiner sees it.
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01Frame
Scope the mandate
Confirm entities, sites, systems, authorities and certification boundaries.
OutputGap and scope decision
Who does what: We facilitate; you confirm scope and decision-makers.
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02Assess
Understand risk
Classify assets, assess threats and decide treatment priorities.
OutputRisk and asset registers
Who does what: We run the method; your owners make risk decisions.
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03Design
Select controls
Build the SoA, policies, ownership and practical control design.
OutputSoA and treatment plan
Who does what: We design and draft; you approve and assign owners.
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04Operate
Generate evidence
Run controls, awareness, internal audit and management review.
OutputOperating evidence cycle
Who does what: You operate controls; we coach and internally audit where appropriately separated.
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05Assure
Face examination
Prepare for Stage 1, Stage 2 and relevant regulatory scrutiny.
OutputAudit support and close-out
Who does what: The certification body audits; we support close-out.
Timeline
How long does ISO 27001 certification readiness take?
It depends on scope, existing maturity and how quickly decisions are made, typically several months for a focused scope and longer for complex or multi-entity organisations. A timeline quoted in days leaves no room for a risk assessment, an operating cycle or an internal audit, all of which certification bodies expect to see.
Cost
How much does ISO 27001 consulting cost, and why are some quotes cheaper?
We confirm a fixed scope and fee in a written proposal after a scoping conversation, because cost follows your scope, not a package.
What affects the cost:
- Number of entities, sites and systems inside the certification boundary
- How many authorities must be answered (ISO 27001 alone, or with SIA IA, ADHICS, DESC ISR, ADGM, DFSA)
- Existing maturity: a new ISMS or rebuilding one that has drifted
- How much internal-audit and post-certification support you need
Proposals differ in what sits behind the certificate. When comparing them, weigh accreditation of the certification body, who performs the work, the depth of the risk assessment, quality review by a practitioner not involved in delivery, and post-certification support, not price alone. A certificate from an unaccredited body may not satisfy procurement due diligence, whatever it cost.
Certification body audit fees are quoted and billed by the certification body, separately from our fee.
Evidence package
Outputs organised by the decisions they support.
The proposal identifies exactly which artefacts apply to your scope.
Assets and risk
Asset register, classification, risk criteria and assessed risk register.
Control treatment
Statement of Applicability, treatment plan and mapped obligations.
Controlled practice
Policies, procedures, control records, awareness and competence evidence.
Review and examination
Internal audit, management review and Stage 1/Stage 2 support plan.
Getting started
What do you need to start an ISO 27001 project?
- Who is asking (regulator, client contract or board) and by when
- The legal entities, sites and systems you expect to be in scope
- Any existing policies, risk register or previous audit reports
- Key third parties and outsourced providers (IT, cloud, MSSP)
- A named internal owner who can make risk decisions
Clear responsibilities
Three parties. No blurred accountability.
The proposal names the Engagement Lead and separates consultancy, operation and independent certification.
Design and challenge
Scope, facilitate, design, coach, internally audit where appropriately separated, and quality-review the work.
Named Engagement LeadOwn and operate
Make risk decisions, assign owners, operate controls and maintain evidence as part of everyday management.
Management accountabilityExamine independently
Conduct Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits and decide whether certification requirements are met.
Independent decisionQuestions buyers ask
Straight answers.
Can you work alongside our IT team or MSSP?
Yes. The ISMS is a governance system and does not replace technical operations. We define the structure, controls and evidence; your technical teams and providers operate within it.
Do we need ISO 27001 or SOC 2?
It depends on who is asking for assurance: UAE regulators and government buyers reference ISO 27001, while some international clients ask for SOC 2. The control work overlaps substantially, so we help you sequence rather than duplicate.
Does ExSolution issue the ISO 27001 certificate?
No. An independent certification body conducts the Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits and decides whether certification requirements are met. We design and prepare the system; you own and operate it.
Is ISO 27001 mandatory in the UAE?
ISO 27001 itself is a voluntary standard, but it is often required in practice by client contracts, government procurement and board mandates, and UAE frameworks such as SIA IA, ADHICS and DESC ISR set obligations that an ISO 27001 ISMS can be used to evidence.
How do we check a certification body is accredited?
Ask for its accreditation and check it on the accreditation body's register (in the UAE, the Emirates International Accreditation Centre, EIAC) or on IAF CertSearch.
What happens after certification?
Certification bodies run surveillance audits during the certificate cycle, so the ISMS has to keep operating.
ISMS Governance Readiness Index – ISO 27001 edition
Eleven governance control areas that decide whether an ISMS survives contact with an auditor. Scored honestly, it tells you which areas would hold under pressure.
Twenty minutesCandidly scored
Why ExSolution
Why organisations choose ExSolution for ISO 27001.
- One ISMS One ISMS for every examiner. One system of controls and evidence answers each authority that will examine it, with no parallel projects.
- Senior-led Senior-led, named Engagement Lead. The proposal names the Engagement Lead.
- Quality Quality review by a practitioner not involved in delivery.
- Independence Independence kept. Consultancy, operation and independent certification are separated.
- Honest We tell you when we're not the right fit.
- UAE since 2013 In the UAE since 2013.
Experience across sectors and systems.
Explore representative anonymised assignments across government, aviation, healthcare, retail and real estate, manufacturing, and maritime services.
Common concerns
Common concerns.
- "It's cheaper elsewhere." Compare what sits behind the certificate: accredited certification body, who does the work, depth of risk assessment, independent quality review.
- "We need it in weeks." A timeline quoted in days leaves no room for a risk assessment, an operating cycle or an internal audit. We'll give you an honest plan for your scope.
- "Our IT team / MSSP already does security." Good, they keep operating. The ISMS is the governance system they work within.
- "Can we do it ourselves?" Yes, you can. A consultant matters most when several authorities must be answered at once or a previous ISMS has drifted. The Readiness Index shows where you stand.
Facing a security mandate?
Tell us which regulator or client is asking, and by when. We aim to respond within two business days.
Exsolution Consultancy (FZE) Sharjah Airport Free Zone (SAIF Zone)P.O. Box 122396, Sharjah, UAE
+971 52 641 5658
consultant@exsolutiongroup.com
Mon–Fri 08:00–18:00 · Sat 09:00–17:00 · Sun closed
Related: Business Continuity · Integrated Management Systems · Governance, Risk & Assurance