Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) has announced its sponsorship of the ‘4th Annual Conference for Information Security in Financial Institutions (ISFS)’ on November 5 and 6 at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort and Convention Hotel.
The conference, which is held this year under the title ‘Cyber-hacking and its Impact on the Economy’, will host keynote speakers, including HE the Minister of Transport and Communications Jassim Seif Ahmed al-Sulaiti, former UK Metropolitan Police commissioner Lord Stevens, and Financial Integrity Network principal Daniel L Glaser.  
Held under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and organised by Qatar Central Bank (QCB), the conference will be attended by key decision makers from the financial sector and leading information security professionals and researchers.
QIB’s sponsorship is part of its commitment to support Qatar’s economy, the country’s financial sector, and the development of a strong information security field. The bank prides itself on its proactive approach to information security having invested in several security features and tools to increase its customers’ protection from fraud and offer them a convenient and hassle-free banking experience.
QIB is a leader in information security concerning payment systems and processes, adding 3D secure technology to safeguard online purchases made using a debit or credit card and strengthening them with SMS notification and 24x7 security monitoring of it is online services.
It also introduced fingerprint authentication and the One Time Password (OTP) process, which increases security when performing banking transactions online. Additionally, QIB implemented an anti-skimming protection solution that reduces the risk against thieves obtaining customer credit or debit card information.
The bank has successfully implemented a full-fledged customised mobile device management (MDM) solution to facilitate a highly-secured connection of critical staff to QIB. Additionally, QIB’s critical incident-response capabilities have significantly improved after establishing a strategic partnership with a leading cyber forensic organisation.
“Creating an efficient and secure financial sector is one of the key pillars of Qatar’s National Vision 2030. We firmly believe that the ISFS conference is driving the conversation towards the right direction by focusing on significant information security issues and solutions within the financial industry,” said QIB Group CEO Bassel Gamal.
“We look forward to supporting and participating at the conference. Through the interaction of governmental bodies, information security specialists, academics, and bankers, it is an educational forum addressing the latest cyber security challenges and their impact on the world’s economies.”
QIB believes in the importance of educating both its employees and customers about the information security threats and how to avoid them. Last year, QIB launched a 16-module mandatory information security training programme for all its employees campaigned with testing of effectiveness of the training.
At the same time, ongoing authorised anti-phishing campaigns are running to assess the readiness of the staff and training programmes are tailored based on the results, along with ongoing awareness advisories, alerts and newsletters.
Gamal said: “We are committed to generate awareness about online safety, data security, and digital privacy to build cyber-literate people of all ages in Qatar. As we provide more digital services for the convenience of our customers, cyber security becomes of paramount importance.”

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