DarkMatter to Lead the Region in Certification Authority Services With Appointment of PKI Specialist

DarkMatter, an international cyber security firm headquartered in the UAE, has appointed Scott Rea as Senior Vice President - Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), where he will lead the company's efforts to elevate Identity Management in the UAE and GCC region by establishing domestic Root Certification Authority services. Scott will also be responsible for the support rendered by DarkMatter to governments and industry clients in the implementation and improvement of Managed Public Key Infrastructure (MPKI) projects.

With 20 + years of PKI experience across multiple continents, Scott joins DarkMatter most recently from DigiCert, a US-based Certificate Authority (CA) where he was Senior PKI Architect and Vice President of Government and Education Relations. There he led a team that provided both policy and technology subject matter expertise in the design and architecture of emerging PKI systems, and helped maintain the international trust and recognition of a global commercial CA. As a Vice President of the DigiCert executive management team, Scott engaged in strategic planning and forecasting for the company, and managed relationships with key industry partners.

Commenting on Scott's appointment, DarkMatter Chief Executive Officer, Faisal Al Bannai said, "The development of Root Certificate Authority services for the UAE and beyond is a momentous step to propelling the GCC to the forefront of Identity Management and a deep vote of confidence and trust in DarkMatter to be able to deliver on this important aspect of cyber security trust and authentication. A Certification Authority as part of a PKI's framework for trust requires the meticulous establishment of technology and tokens; policy and procedures; and relationships and responsibilities, and Scott's impressive knowledge and experience in these areas makes him perfectly suited to drive this area of the business."

The UAE already has some PKI related policies in place, which enables digital signatures and encrypted communications using the digital certificates provided to citizens and residents as part of their identity, to be locally trusted. Expanding these policies to enable international recognition will be a key business enabler for the UAE.

Scott Rea said, "It is a privilege to be able to work on projects of such significance to trust establishment and the highest levels of identity management, which are set to have an impact across government and industry for many years to come. Countries such as the UAE have such ambitious plans to fully immerse themselves in the digital age, while also taking a pragmatic approach to cyber security and certification. PKI activities and the establishment of Certification Authorities are in the interests of all legitimate, authentic parties operating in cyber space, and I am looking forward to adding to DarkMatter's efforts to make this environment a much more secure one in which to operate. We are building the foundations of trust for the future."

Scott is also a founding member of several PKI based global trust communities, holds board positions on industry based non-profits aimed at establishing trust and securing information, and participates in many industry forums for the development and maintenance of security and trust related standards. Before working with DigiCert in 2009, Scott served as the Senior PKI Architect for Dartmouth College where he also operated the Higher Education Bridge Certification Authority (HEBCA). Prior to his time at Dartmouth, Scott provided professional services for PKI integration for IdenTrust and Digital Signature Trust, commercial CAs and global leaders in trusted identity solutions.

Scott, a native Australian and Certified Information Systems Security Professional, holds an MS in Computer Science from Queensland University of Technology and degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Already a trusted partner to the UAE Government, DarkMatter is staffed by tier-one international cyber experts who develop, manage and deploy the most innovative technologies. Solutions adhere to the company's Cyber Security Life-Cycle, which incorporates a four-stage approach involving planning, detection, protection and recovery.

DarkMatter is leveraging this experience in the wider market as it looks to serve regional and international clients. The company provides a complete portfolio of cyber security solutions and services to organisations that have sophisticated security requirements, from governments and infrastructure operators to large corporations.