BVIEC not negotiating with system hackers!
BVI Electricity Corporation General Manager Neil Smith stated that the BVIEC is not negotiating with the hackers who took its system offline early last week.
An unknown source breached the corporation’s defenses, but Smith described the issue of dealing with hackers as a constant battle that the BVIEC continually faces.
“It’s being done all the time. We’ve been… on a regular basis, we have attempts to compromise our systems,” Smith told ZBVI radio.
Last week, the BVIEC was hit by a ransomware attack that compromised its systems, leaving the organization scrambling to restore functionality while ensuring customers remained connected to their electricity supply.
However, Smith emphasised that he has no intention of negotiating with the hackers to retrieve any stolen data. “We’re not negotiating. We are definitely not negotiating,” he stated.
The attack severely hampered the BVIEC’s ability to manage its operations digitally, disrupting staff’s ability to read meters and customers’ ability to make online payments. Smith previously noted that the corporation had to disconnect all systems as a precautionary measure to prevent further damage.
Smith explained that every defence the BVIEC puts up is a measure that someone will find a way around. He insisted, however, that the power company will adjust to meet the challenge it now faces.
Smith asserted that there would be no opportunity for such an intrusion to happen again, even as hackers modify their techniques.
According to Smith, the BVIEC remains focused on returning to normalcy. “I’m not going to negotiate or anything like that,” Smith emphasized. “What we’re doing is that we’re trying our best to reconstruct our systems as soon as possible so we could go back to normal, to a state of normalcy so that we can work.”
“For me, I’m not interested in going after these individuals. I’m just interested in safeguarding BVIEC’s systems and making sure that we can deliver high quality and efficient service to the public,” Smith added.
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Is my credit card information frequently used by BVIEC vulnerable?
Excellent question as I too would like to know. That’s how i’ve been paying my electricity bill for years. The relevant authorities should address the concerns of the customers.
I will be changing my card after this fiasco is sorted because things like this usually leads to information released in the dark web. My advice to people is make sure that your payroll is not going to the same account that you have used to pay your e-bills. Assign a card to manually place these monies, it limits the amount that could be potentially stolen if a situation (like current) should occur.
Yes very much so. Shut it down and get a new one.
Ayo better try and bring back Leroy Abraham
BVIEC IT team less point blank, no long talk.
Was confidential customer data compromised, especially credit card payment information?
We need an urgent straight answer to this.
Listen stop asking. Cancel your cards and get a new one.
All of that repeatedly we are being attacked and no effort or inclination to utilize the sun????
The stupidity is beyond imagination.
They hackef Synider Hospital some weeks ago
Asking for ransom
. This is an international game
Bad roads, bad ports, no electricity, bad education, crime, corruption..
Let’s go independent!
Every reason NOT to go independent!
You want to independently starve???
To the negative comments: Did we have all this negative behaviour when the hackers infiltrated the IT systems in America and elsewhere? So many people were affected worldwide recently with flights being delayed and other compromises. BVIEC is not alone in this nightmare! It happens all over the world daily.
We know and all will agree,the US will take the appropriate steps sincerely and fix the problem. Not fix so these VI…we are without adequate water for years a garbage incinerator slowly killing the people and thrown at us is promises and les.
fix the problem a
I guarantee the electric fiasco will be non ending too…You lice your country but dies your country love you? Try loving yourself and in so doing you will realize the truth…these elected and in charge love money position power and themselves. You and country is an aside ,a method to their insatiable greed and selfishness. No more glaring example is Andrew Fahie. He claim and pontifcated about loving the Lord..no bigger lie has he told.
all i know is i am not going into no office to stand in no line to pay no bill. if they ain’t going to do anything to sort out the situation they need to not be disconnecting anybody until its resolved!
Phishing training is mandatory in these times
Nice that you are focussed on safeguarding your systems but no mention of safeguarding your clients’ personal data? Any concern there?
Is our personal data safe?
When will the system be working.
Please answer as I can not reach you by phone.
I side with you neil , don’t pay them a dime
Went into pay my bill today, why only ONE cashier working when you know everyone has to come in and pay?
Everybody out reading meters
When did you last see a meter reader work as a cashier?
The workers need stop watch p**n on the people them computer and stop click suspicious link about money schemes or free iPhone. Nothing is free
The biggest attack surface for any business is its staff. No allowing people to bring personal devices into the office and connecting to your private lan. Having critical systems on separate subnets only reachable by the persons that need to reach them, client isolation on staff Wi-Fi, having a decent firewall and knowing how to use it etc. just need to tighten up and be more mindful that’s all.
Realistically it’s very likely y’all going to have to pay to get back your data/ records to resume full functionality. It sucks but better than you done get catch like this before. Pay, get back your data and beef up your network security and IT personnel.
I’m just here for the comments. Some of you moo moos have really have no clue. Thanks for the entertainment.
But isn’t that negotiating, which Smith said he wasn’t doing? Or, would you call paying to get data back caving in?
When can we expect the system to be working?
Please answer.
No time soon,if ever,based on the other need fixing items in these VI…ex water,roads,garbage incinerator etc
Grat while it lasted though!