COMMUNITY NEWS
Ithmaar Bank renews its PCI-DSS certification
Jul 3, 2018 4:59 PM
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 3 July 2018 – Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, announced that SISA Information Security, the Middle East region’s leading security assessor, has renewed its certification of the Bank to confirm the highest payment security standard possible for any organisation dealing with payment card related information.
MANAMA, BAHRAIN – 3
July 2018 – Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, announced that
SISA Information Security, the Middle East region’s leading security assessor,
has renewed its certification of the Bank to confirm the highest payment
security standard possible for any organisation dealing with payment card
related information.
The announcement
follows Ithmaar Bank’s successful completion of a comprehensive audit and its compliance
to all requirements necessary for the Payment Card Industry Data Security
Standard v3.2 (PCI-DSS) certification. The PCI-DSS is a data security standard
for organizations that handle payment cards. It is mandated by the card brands
and regulator, administered by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards
Council, and widely recognised as one of the most stringent and most coveted
security standards in the world. SISA Information Security, an international
authorised assessor for various payments standards, is a payment security
specialist firm with a presence in more than thirty-five countries.
“Ithmaar Bank had
first earned the certification on 26 April 2017, making us
one of the first in Bahrain to be certified to the PCI-DSS standard,” said
Ithmaar Bank Chief Executive Officer, Ahmed Abdul Rahim. “Maintaining this
certification is testimony to the importance that we attach to our customers’ information
security and underscores our commitment to ensuring their satisfaction and
enhancing their Islamic banking experience,” he said.
“The purpose of
the PCI-DSS is to protect card data from unauthorised users, including
hackers and thieves, and by following
this standard, banks can keep data confidential and secure, avoiding costly
data breaches and protecting employees and customers, ” said SISA Worldwide CEO
and Founder, Dharshan Shanthamurthy. “Ithmaar Bank’s certification shows their
in-depth understanding of the security measures and precautions they are taking
to keep their payment data safe – particularly as the PCI-DSS doesn’t remain as
a static standard, but keeps on evolving with the changing threat landscape
worldwide,” he said.
“This achievement reconfirms
Ithmaar Bank as a pioneer among all other Bahrain financial organizations who adhere
to the PCI security standards,” said Shanthamurthy. “We believe that Ithmaar
Bank will maintain its leadership in being the top-of-the-line secure payment
infrastructure in Bahrain,” he said.
-Ends-
Photo caption:
Abdul Rahim (fourth from right) receives
the SISA certification from SISA Information Security Associate
Vice President- EMEA Office, Yogesh Dange, in the presence of (from right)
Ithmaar Bank Chief Risk Officer, Krishnan Hariharan, Ithmaar Bank Information
Security Officer, Fatema Faraj, Ithmaar Bank Assistant General Manager, Head of
Information Technology and Administration, Yousif Alkhan, and Ithmaar Bank
Information Security and Compliance Manager, Rashed Ahmed AlMuawada.
About
Ithmaar Bank:
Ithmaar Bank B.S.C. (closed) (“Ithmaar
Bank”) is a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank that is licensed and regulated by
the Central Bank of Bahrain and provides retail, commercial, treasury
& financial institutions and other banking services.
Ithmaar Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary
of Ithmaar Holding B.S.C. (formerly named Ithmaar Bank B.S.C.) which is listed
on the Bahrain Bourse, Bourse Kuwait and Dubai Financial Market.
Ithmaar Bank provides a diverse range of
Sharia-compliant products and services that cater to the financing and
investment needs of individuals and institutions. Ithmaar also maintains a
presence in overseas markets through its subsidiary, Faysal Bank Limited
(Pakistan).