Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – 21th August, 2024 – CNTXT, a leading cloud and digital transformation company in Saudi Arabia, today announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud to introduce a new premium cybersecurity offering to the Saudi market: Sovereign Controls by CNTXT. The new offering is designed to support the digital transformation journeys of organizations operating in the region who must meet strict data sovereignty, regulatory and security requirements.
With this offering, CNTXT, a reseller of Google Cloud Platform services for Saudi-based customers, helps local organizations meet digital sovereignty requirements by delivering a managed External Key Management (EKM) with Key Access Justifications (KAJ) service, as well as localized support. EKM with KAJ encrypts customer data at rest with keys stored outside of Google Cloud’s infrastructure. This offering also requires detailed justifications each time access to keys is required, offering customers the ability to deny access for any reason, including extraterritorial data requests. This innovative solution is designed to protect highly sensitive workloads that would typically remain on-premise, providing an additional layer of control for organizations moving to the cloud
The EKM solution is offered in Saudi Arabia by SITE, as an integral part of the “DATA SHIELD powered by Fortanix” product and Google Cloud’s Cloud External Key Manager service. SITE provides innovative, reliable Digital and Cybersecurity services and solutions, and develop future technologies to address needs, aspirations, and threats, while fostering an entrepreneurship ecosystem and developing a highly talented pool of Saudi human capital. This integration allows organizations to move their data to the cloud while maintaining the same level of security for keys that they are accustomed to in their own on-premises environments.
DATA SHIELD powered by Fortanix enables users to create, store, and manage encryption keys outside of the Google Cloud environment. This ensures that encryption keys are always under customer control and stored inside a FIPS 140-2 level 3 certified HSM, away from the cloud. With the click of a button, organizations can enable or disable access to their data from specific instances and locations in real-time, ensuring the highest level of security for their data.
“We are thrilled to bring Cloud External Key Manager to Saudi Arabia, offering organizations the ability to securely move their most sensitive workloads to the cloud,” said Abdullah Jarwan, CEO at CNTXT. “With the integration of SITE’s DATA SHIELD powered by Fortanix EKM, organizations can trust that their data is protected by the highest standards of security and encryption.”
Majed Alamri, Chief Business Solutions Officer at SITE, said, “We are excited to introduce the External Key Manager to Saudi Arabia, empowering organizations to securely migrate their most sensitive workloads to the cloud. With the integration of SITE’s DATA SHIELD powered by Fortanix EKM, clients can be assured that their data is protected by the highest standards of security and encryption.”
Bader Almadi, Google Cloud country manager for Saudi Arabia, said, “Google Cloud is committed to working with local trusted partners to help our customers meet digital sovereignty requirements. We are proud to offer Sovereign Controls by CNTXT to help Saudi-based organizations meet more stringent data sovereignty requirements. This offering that’s provided through Assured Workloads, and built on Google Cloud’s Class C-certified infrastructure offers customers the ability to deny access to their data for any reason, empowering organizations across the Kingdom to accelerate their digital transformation journeys while helping to meet regulatory requirements and maintaining more control over their data.”
For more information about Sovereign Controls by CNTXT and its availability in Saudi Arabia, please visit [Google Cloud Blog ].
About CNTXT:
About CNTXT: CNTXT, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Cognite, is a leading digital transformation company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. With a mission to empower organizations through technology and innovation, CNTXT leverages strategic partnerships and a network of resellers to accelerate digital transformation across public and private sectors in the Kingdom.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — 5/08/2024 —CNTXT is thrilled to announce the official opening of our new regional headquarters in the prestigious King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Riyadh. On August 1st, we celebrated this momentous occasion with a grand opening ceremony attended by industry leaders and guests, including Tareq Amin, CEO of Digital Aramco and Chairman of the CNTXT board.
Joined by CNTXT Board members Fahad Aldossary, Francois Laborie, and John Markus Lervik, as well as key public and private sector executives, we showcased our stunning new workspace and celebrated our continued growth. The event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry leaders and explore the innovative environment we’ve created.
Our move to a larger, strategically located office marks a significant milestone for CNTXT. The expanded space empowers us to enhance our service offerings, foster collaboration among our talented team, and deliver exceptional value to our valued clients.
By doublingfootprint of our previous Riyadh office, we’ve designed a space that encourages creativity, innovation, and teamwork. Each office is meticulously crafted to reflect our commitment to world-class service standards.
We are excited to embark on this new chapter in our journey and look forward to welcoming our employees, customers and partners to our new offices.