A Practical Guide for Non-Financial Organizations

By Dr. Ahmad Farouk Aamer – Senior IT Compliance & Audit Consultant

In recent years, regulatory compliance in Saudi Arabia has expanded far beyond the banking sector. As Vision 2030 accelerates digital transformation across the Kingdom, organizations from all industries — public and private — are being called to adopt more mature governance and cybersecurity practices.

Among the most influential frameworks in this landscape is the SAMA Cybersecurity Framework, issued by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (now the Saudi Central Bank). While originally designed for financial institutions, it has quickly become a best-practice benchmark for cybersecurity governance — even for organizations outside the financial sector.

🔍 What Is the SAMA Cybersecurity Framework?

Introduced in 2017, the SAMA Cybersecurity Framework aims to ensure that all regulated entities have adequate cybersecurity controls in place. The framework consists of:

• 6 key domains

• 29 control objectives

These domains cover:

1. Cybersecurity Governance

2. Risk Management

3. Cybersecurity Operations

4. Threat Management

5. Incident Response

6. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Although originally intended for banks and insurance companies, the structure and maturity of this framework make it attractive to non-financial institutions looking for a strong, Saudi-aligned governance model.

❓ Why Should Non-Financial Entities Consider Adopting SAMA?

✅ 1. A Comprehensive Foundation for Cybersecurity Programs

SAMA provides a structured, detailed approach to building a cybersecurity management system — from board-level governance down to technical controls.

✅ 2. Alignment with Government & Enterprise Contract Requirements

Many large organizations and mega-projects (e.g., NEOM, PIF-related entities, Aramco projects) increasingly require vendors and partners to follow mature frameworks like SAMA and NCA.

✅ 3. Competitive Advantage When Working with the Financial Sector

If your company provides IT services, cloud hosting, software, or consultancy to financial institutions, pre-alignment with SAMA gives you a strategic edge in procurement and audits.

⚠️ Common Challenges in SAMA Implementation

🔹 Lack of Internal Knowledge and Role Clarity

IT teams may struggle to understand how to translate policy-level controls (like “cybersecurity risk impact assessments”) into day-to-day actions.

🔹 Absence of Required Documentation

The SAMA framework depends heavily on documented evidence, such as:

• Cybersecurity policies

• Risk assessments

• Incident response plans

• Business continuity frameworks

Without these, organizations will face gaps during assessments or audits.

🔹 No Compliance Tracking Tools

Many organizations fail to use even a basic compliance matrix (e.g., Excel) to track control implementation and progress, resulting in fragmented efforts.

🛠️ How to Start Implementing the SAMA Framework

1. Conduct a Gap Assessment

Compare your current cybersecurity posture against SAMA control objectives to identify compliance gaps.

2. Build a Compliance Matrix

Map each SAMA control to your existing documentation, tools, and processes. This can be done in Excel or a GRC tool.

3. Develop or Update Policies

Write missing policies and update outdated ones to meet the SAMA structure and scope.

4. Create a Clear Implementation Roadmap

Assign responsibilities, allocate resources, and define timelines for each domain or control.

5. Conduct Awareness and Training Programs

Train technical and non-technical staff on their roles in cybersecurity governance and compliance.

🧭 Final Thoughts

The SAMA Cybersecurity Framework is more than just a checklist — it’s a strategic tool for improving governance, reducing cyber risk, and building trust with partners, clients, and regulators. Even if your organization is not under SAMA’s direct supervision, using it as an internal benchmark will elevate your maturity and readiness in today’s complex threat landscape.

📣 Need Help with Implementation?

At SCOPE IT, we provide:

• End-to-end SAMA gap assessments

• Policy development & documentation support

• Framework implementation aligned with SAMA, NIST, and ISO 27001

• Customized training for IT, compliance, and executive teams

📞 Contact us today to begin your journey toward sustainable and effective cybersecurity compliance.

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