National Identification and Registration Authority says NIDS remains safe, no security breach

The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), which oversees the National Identification System (NIDS), is reporting that there has been no evidence of a breach or compromise of the national identification system.

This comes after the Office of the Registrar General (ORG), formerly the Registrar General’s Department, indicated today that it is investigating a cyberattack, which has caused some services to be temporarily impacted or unavailable.

The office, which maintains the official records of all births, marriages, stillbirths, and deaths in Jamaica, falls under the authority.

The ORG said the cyber attack was detected on Sunday, August 24, and that an investigation is ongoing to determine the full scope of the incident.

NIRA, in a statement today, said its systems were not affected, touting the security and robustness of its cyber infrastructure.

It also noted that under the National Identification and Registration Act, 2021, the national identification and civil registration databases are separate.

“The robust schedule of monitoring and security checks assures the NIRA of the integrity of the cyber systems, which remain secure,” said the authority.

“The National Identification System is built on a foundation of strong, multilayered security, adhering to international best practices for data protection and security,” it underscored.

The authority said that all personal data is stored in a highly secure, encrypted environment with stringent access controls and continuous monitoring.

It added that it has a zero-tolerance policy for any threats to the system, and that protocols are designed to detect and mitigate risks proactively.

“The NIRA is assuring all citizens and stakeholders that their data is secure and that the integrity of the National Identification System remains uncompromised.”

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