Microsoft today announced that it has achieved the Multi-Tier Cloud Security Standard for Singapore (MTCS SS) Level-1 certification for Microsoft Azure and Office 365. This makes Microsoft the first and only global cloud service provider to obtain certification across its Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud offerings – reinforcing its commitment to offer a truly holistic trustworthy cloud to the market.
MTCS SS is Singapore’s cloud security standard, developed under the Information Technology Standards Committee (ITSC), that was launched a year ago to provide businesses with greater clarity on the levels of security offered by different cloud service providers. It has a self-disclosure requirement for cloud service providers covering service-oriented information that is normally included in service level agreements. This covers areas such as data retention, data sovereignty, data portability, liability, availability, business continuity, disaster recovery, as well as incident and problem management.
After rigorous and stringent assessments conducted by the MTCS Certifying Body, MTCS SS 584:2013 Level 1 certification was granted to Microsoft to operate an Information Security Management System for Microsoft Azure and Office 365 cloud services including development, operations and support for the compute, storage, virtual network and virtual machines services. Specifically, these include Microsoft Azure Cloud Services – Virtual machines, Cloud Services, Storage Services, Virtual Network, Azure SQL DB, Azure Active Directory; and Microsoft Office 365 Services – Exchange Online, SharePoint Online (including Project Online), and Lync Online. The locations within the scope of the certification are the Asia Pacific Region (Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia), Europe (Ireland, Netherlands), and United States (Illinois, Iowa, Texas, California and Virginia).
“IDA welcomes Microsoft’s adoption of Singapore’s Multi-Tier Cloud Security Standard (MTCS) Level 1 for its various cloud offerings. We are happy that more cloud service providers (CSPs) are adopting MTCS which was developed to provide greater transparency of the cloud security provided by the CSP. Such transparency is a key element for companies to adopt cloud services as it enables companies in different industries, with varying levels of cloud security requirements, to better choose a cloud service that better matches their needs,” said Assistant Chief Executive Khoong Hock Yun of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore.
“As the provider of the most complete and comprehensive cloud solutions in the market today, Microsoft leverages its cutting-edge security practices and deep experience running some of the largest online services around the globe to deliver data and cloud services customers can trust. With our participation in MTCS SS, we hope to bring the confidence entrusted to the Microsoft Cloud to the local ecosystem so as to help accelerate the adoption of cloud computing here in Singapore across industries,” said Ms Jessica Tan, Managing Director for Microsoft Singapore.
“The more trust that we can build in the cloud, the more we can draw on its benefits to transform business models, deliver amazing digital experiences and services and ultimately put innovation at the very centre of everything government, community and businesses do,” added Jessica.
The Microsoft Cloud is based on decades of experience, a strong commitment to security, privacy, and transparency, and strict adherence to leading industry practices. Earlier this year, Gartner updated its Magic Quadrant surveys for cloud and credited Microsoft as being a leader in its IaaS, enterprise application PaaS, public cloud storage services and X86 virtualisation magic quadrants. This makes Microsoft the only leader credited in all four of the Gartner Cloud Computing Magic Quadrants 2014.
In addition to the MTCS SS certification, Microsoft products and services hold key global certifications, including ISO 27001, SOC1 and SOC2 for Security and Availability Trust Principles. Earlier this year, European Union data protection authorities also found that Microsoft’s enterprise cloud contracts meet the high standards of EU privacy law – the toughest in the world.
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