The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly emerging as a global hub for finance, innovation, and technology. But with innovation comes responsibility—particularly in cybersecurity. To enhance national resilience and ensure digital infrastructure remains protected, the UAE established the National Electronic Security Authority (NESA), now part of the Signals Intelligence Agency (SIA), which mandates a comprehensive set of cybersecurity controls applicable to all government and critical infrastructure entities.
Among these mandates, Operating System (OS) security plays a critical role in ensuring foundational cyber hygiene. In this blog, we explore what NESA compliance requires, how OS-level controls fit in, and how SecOps Solution empowers organizations in the UAE to achieve compliance effortlessly and effectively.
NESA’s Information Assurance (IA) standards provide a rigorous cybersecurity baseline designed to:
The framework is structured into 188 controls grouped under six domains, including Security Operations, Systems & Communication Protection, and Risk Management. For OS-level security, NESA requires strict controls around:
These controls apply to Windows, Linux, macOS, and Unix-based environments—making a comprehensive, platform-agnostic approach critical for compliance.
Here are the secure OS practices that organizations must implement to comply with NESA guidelines:
NESA Reference: CSC-05 (System Maintenance)
All systems must be kept up to date with the latest vendor patches, especially for critical vulnerabilities. Delays in patching expose organizations to exploitable flaws that can jeopardize national infrastructure.
NESA Reference: CSC-08 (Secure Configuration)
Default configurations are rarely secure. NESA mandates secure OS baselines, removal of unnecessary services, and strict control over administrative privileges.
NESA Reference: CSC-11 (Access Control)
Only authorized users should have access to OS-level resources. Root and admin privileges should be tightly controlled, monitored, and audited.
NESA Reference: CSC-06 (Vulnerability Management)
Regular OS-level vulnerability assessments are required, along with documentation and prioritization of remediation efforts based on risk impact.
NESA Reference: CSC-12 (Monitoring)
NESA requires organizations to log all OS-level activity and store logs securely for forensics, monitoring, and compliance reporting.
Complying with NESA manually is complex and time-consuming:
That’s where SecOps Solution steps in as a transformative enabler.
SecOps Solution is purpose-built to simplify and automate secure OS management, helping UAE organizations meet NESA's stringent cybersecurity requirements.
Automatically identify, prioritize, and deploy patches for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Unix systems—all without installing an agent. This reduces system overhead and streamlines compliance with CSC-05.
Our platform performs continuous vulnerability scans aligned with the latest CVEs and security advisories, helping organizations stay compliant with CSC-06.
SecOps Solution applies preconfigured secure OS baselines based on CIS and NESA hardening standards, ensuring secure configurations across all operating systems.
Generate audit-friendly reports with a few clicks. SecOps Solution provides clear evidence of patch status, vulnerability closures, configuration compliance, and access logs—critical for passing NESA audits.
Enforce least privilege, monitor privileged activities, and implement session controls across OS environments, supporting CSC-11 and reducing insider threats.
Built-in automation capabilities allow your security team to remediate vulnerabilities and misconfigurations with minimal manual intervention, boosting operational efficiency.
NESA-Aligned Controls
We’ve mapped our capabilities directly to NESA’s IA Controls—making compliance streamlined and measurable.
Customizable to Local Needs
Tailor the platform to your specific industry and threat landscape—whether you’re in oil & gas, banking, telecom, or government.
Real-Time Dashboards
Stay ahead of audits with a real-time compliance dashboard that provides a complete view of your OS security posture.
NESA compliance is no longer optional—it is essential for organizations operating in critical sectors within the UAE. At the heart of this compliance is a secure and resilient OS environment.
By automating OS patching, hardening, monitoring, and vulnerability management, SecOps Solution empowers UAE enterprises to meet and exceed NESA mandates with confidence and clarity.
SecOps Solution is a Full-stack Patch and Vulnerability Management Platform that helps organizations identify, prioritize, and remediate security vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in seconds.
To learn more, get in touch.
