Missing hard drive from BWA under investigation

Police are investigating the apparent theft of a hard drive containing “sensitive” information, including about the island’s water infrastructure, from a computer at the state-owned Barbados Water Authority (BWA).

Recommendations have also been made to improve security on the heels of the incident.

Acting General Manager Chris Mapp declined to discuss the matter when contacted through BWA Marketing Officer Yvette Harris-Griffith on Tuesday.

“The Barbados Water Authority will not comment on any investigations which may be receiving the attention of the Barbados Police Service,” was all he would tell Barbados TODAY.      

Efforts to get confirmation from the police about the matter have also been unsuccessful so far.

However, Barbados TODAY has obtained documents confirming that the alleged theft was referred to the Barbados Police Service.

The recommendation for the investigation came in an official June 10, 2022 report from security consultant Captain Al Walcott, addressed to General Manager Keithroy Halliday.

The report gave an account of the circumstances that led to the complaint by an employee on June 7 that the hardware had been removed from the computer at his workstation on the second floor of the BWA’s Pine, St Michael headquarters.

“The surveillance data for the period June 3 to June 7, 2022 was reviewed and there was activity on the 2nd floor in the office where [name withheld] workstation is located,” Captain Walcott wrote.

The security consultant also pointed out that scheduled tiling in the engineering office, which is in the same general area as the office where the computer was located, was conducted between June 4 and 5 and two cleaners, one carpenter, four tilers, and a supervisor – all of whom he named – were in that area.

Captain Walcott listed six findings in his initial memorandum to the general manager, including the fact that the data on the hard drive contained: the positions of all the BWA assets including water mains, hydrants, reservoirs, pumping and re-pumping stations and valves; conversion scripts for going between grid systems; and drawings of mains replacement programmes funded by the Inter American Development Bank (CDB) and the World Bank.

In a letter dated June 16, 2022, the BWA officially referred the matter to the police.

“The Barbados Water Authority is seeking the assistance of the Barbados Police Service in the investigation of a missing computer hard drive.

“Due to the sensitive nature of the information contained on the hard drive, some of which relates to our national water resources infrastructure, we are requesting your urgent assistance in pursuing the investigations,” stated the correspondence addressed to the Station Sergeant of the District ‘A’ Police Station and bearing Halliday’s name and signature. “We look forward to your urgent attention to this matter.”

A preliminary report from Captain Walcott was also part of the correspondence sent to the police.

In a progress report prepared by the BWA, dated September 12, 2022, it was revealed that the technician who reported the hard drive missing had been interviewed by police and his workstation visited.

The updated incident report also produced fresh recommendations.

For example, an added layer of security is being implemented for people contracted to provide maintenance and cleaning services after working hours. It is recommended that a physical search be conducted on leaving the premises.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb