The National Cyber Security Agency Updates the Accreditation & Certification Programs

The Cyber Assurance Department – At the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) has updated the National Information Security Compliance (NISCF) Accreditation and Certification programs pertaining to National Information Assurance (NIA). These updates aim to: 

1. Streamline audit timelines and efforts  for NIA Certification 
2. Clarify requirements and expectations for NIA audits
3. Simplify the process to become an Accredited Auditor 

In alignment with the National Cyber Security Strategy (NCSS) initiatives to strengthen and enforce certification, and based on NCSA mandate of “Issuing certificates of compliance with national standards and policies for information security, and reviewing and auditing them periodically”, the NCSA strongly encourages all government entities, critical organizations and private companies operating and hosting their data to obtain NIA Certificate of Compliance. This certification serves as a crucial evidence of their compliance with national standards.

With the projected audits for the National Information Assurance (NIA) Certification set to double by 2025, NCSA invites all audit service providers in the State of Qatar to apply for and obtain NIA Audit Accreditation. This accreditation is a mandatory requirement for conducting audits necessary for NIA Certification.

This update is based on a comprehensive analysis of previous NIA audits and feedback from Accredited Auditors, Certified Organizations and other stakeholders.

These enhancements include:

1. Updating the NISCF Audit Standard – To provide more clarity and details on audit activities;
2. Updating the NIA Audit Accreditation Standard – To simplify the requirements for service providers seeking NIA Audit Accreditation; 
3. Publishing of 4 new Standard Operating Procedures – To guide services providers in applying for NIA Audit Accreditation and outline the steps to be followed during audits; and
4. Publishing 5 new Technical Directives – To clarify key audit phases and scenarios, establishing  common expectations among auditee, auditors and NCSA.

For further details on the benefits of NIA Certification, please visit the NIA Certification Value Proposition page.

For more information on how to become an Accredited Auditor for NIA, please visit the NIA Audit Accreditation page.