Comtrust to hold PKI course for e-business community

The two-day course, which will run from December 8-9, features a mix of theoretical and practical training sessions covering e-business security challenges of the day, the part PKI can play in helping organisations meet these challenges and the future of PKI-based technologies in the Middle East.

"The course is designed to arm participants with a working knowledge of Public Key Infrastructure and more importantly how it can be incorporated to further strengthen the security of e-business operations now and in the future," said Ahmed Abdulkarim Julfar, General Manager, Comtrust.

The first day will comprise a look at online security issues such as the confidentiality, integrity, availability and non-repudiation of online information and an overview of encryption technologies and the instrumental role these technologies play in PKI-based solutions. Topics covered will include public keys, digital certificates, certificate authorities as well as covering the core components of PKI.

On the second day, participants will learn about PKI-based applications and services, implementing PKI solutions from both in-house and outsourced/managed perspective and the on going evolution of PKI technologies such as smart card based application of the technology.

The end of each day will comprise an interactive, practically orientated workshop on the application, verification and use of digital certificates in the e-business world. The first day will cater to user certificates while day to will cover server certificates.

Comtrust ran its first PKI training course in the middle of this year, which was received enthusiastically by the local IT community, attracting professionals from businesses such as Emirates, United Arab Bank, Tejari.com, Emirates Bank Group, Bank Sederat Iran, IAL Container Line, ABN Amro and Abu Dhabi National Hotels as well as government departments such as Dubai Municipality and Directorate of Town Planning and Survey.

According to Comtrust, it expects this course to be just as well received. "Regional interest in PKI and its application to manage e-security challenges is growing," said Julfar citing the five-fold increase in Comtrust's PKI services over the last 12 months. "A course such as this enables organisations to make informed decisions on to how best utilise PKI technologies in order to benefit their business."