Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has announced that it is now a Dubai Electronic Security Center (DESC) certified Cloud Service Provider (CSP) in the UAE. DESC has developed a CSP Security Standard, which outlines requirements and guidelines for CSPs and those organizations consuming any cloud services. The CSP Security Standard mandates CSPs to comply with international best practices for cloud services. It is based on global information security standards such as ISO/IEC 27001:2013; ISO/IEC 27002:2013; ISO/IEC 27017:2015; ISR:2017 v.02 and CSA Cloud Control Matrix 3.0.1. As part of the extensive DESC certification process, Moro Hub has implemented the Information Security Management System, complying with all international standards for CSPs. These controls were then verified through a comprehensive auditing process by an external certification body appointed by DESC. Ensuring compliance with the CSP Security Standard is a mandatory requirement for CSPs looking to offer cloud services for government and semi-government entities in Dubai. Mohammad Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro Hub, said, "The certification demonstrates Moro Hub's commitment to providing secure cloud computing platform and services to our customers. "As a DESC certified CSP, our customers know that we have gone through a detailed process to ensure all their cloud service requirements are being met as per superior global standards and best practices. The certification further strengthens Moro Hub's position as customers' preferred partner for their end-to-end cloud service demands." While concerns around trust, security and data residency may have decelerated the adoption rate of cloud services in the region, there is no question about the segment's potential for growth. According to a recent report by research firm Gartner, public cloud services revenue in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is predicted to amount to nearly $3 billion in 2020, an increase of 21% year over year. "When it comes to cloud services, customers' biggest reservations have been around security and data privacy issues, migration costs, lack of market maturity and non-alignment with IT or business requirements. "With the segment expected to grow exponentially, those customers who address these issues early on will be much ahead of the curve. As a specialist, Moro Hub is dedicated to assisting customers in their cloud and digital transformation goals," Sulaiman added. Moro Hub's cloud operations and data storage infrastructures are fully operational within the UAE. The company's cloud platform is designed to meet the complete privacy and data protection requirements of its customers. "The CSP Security Standard and compliance requirements defined by DESC helps customers to partner with credible and proven service providers such as Moro Hub to house their critical workloads in the cloud-hosted data center," Sulaiman said. — SG