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Specialised practice · ISMS
Information security and ISO 27001 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).
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.
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
ADHICS
Use the ISMS structure to organise healthcare-specific obligations and audit evidence.
DESC ISR
Evidence ISR requirements through controlled documents, ownership and operating records.
ADGM CRMF
Connect board oversight, cyber risk and incident readiness to the ISMS rhythm.
DFSA GEN 5.5
Use a recognised framework as the governed basis for cyber-risk management.
Client requirements
Answer security questionnaires and contractual controls from the same evidence base.
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.
- 01Frame
Scope the mandate
Confirm entities, sites, systems, authorities and certification boundaries.
OutputGap and scope decision
- 02Assess
Understand risk
Classify assets, assess threats and decide treatment priorities.
OutputRisk and asset registers
- 03Design
Select controls
Build the SoA, policies, ownership and practical control design.
OutputSoA and treatment plan
- 04Operate
Generate evidence
Run controls, awareness, internal audit and management review.
OutputOperating evidence cycle
- 05Assure
Face examination
Prepare for Stage 1, Stage 2 and relevant regulatory scrutiny.
OutputAudit support and close-out
Evidence package
Outputs organised by the decisions they support.
The proposal identifies exactly which artefacts apply to your scope.
Scope and accountability
Gap assessment, scope statement, policy, roles and decision rights.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We've been quoted much cheaper elsewhere. What's the difference?
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.
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.
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
Experience across sectors and systems.
Explore representative anonymised assignments across government, aviation, healthcare, retail and real estate, manufacturing, and maritime services.
Facing a security mandate?
Tell us which regulator or client is asking, and by when. We aim to respond within two business days.
Related: Business Continuity · Integrated Management Systems · Governance, Risk & Assurance