Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, said 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.

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 35 countries.

“Ithmaar Bank had first earned the certification on 26April 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.

“This achievement reconfirms Ithmaar Bank as a pioneer among all other Bahrain financial organizations who adhere to the PCI security standards. We believe that Ithmaar Bank will maintain its leadership in being the top-of-the-line secure payment infrastructure in Bahrain,” he added.  – TradeArabia News Service