(Telecompaper) Etisalat and Telefonica have announced the signing of an extensive information security agreement that will see the two companies collaborate on the development and implementation of a Security Operations Centre in the UAE. The centre will offer a wide range of cyber security services to organizations of all sizes and is part of Etisalat's SMART strategy to secure the nation's public and private IT infrastructure. As part of this agreement, Etisalat will boost its managed security services portfolio through advanced technology platforms powered by Telefonica. Telefonica services such as Cyber Threats Detection & Intelligence, Persistent Vulnerability Management, Industrial Security and Antifraud will help to tackle threats in UAE's shifting cyber-threat landscape and close the security skills gap that currently exists in the country. The agreement builds on an existing collaboration between Etisalat and Telefonica, following the signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2011.