NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas has room for improvement in the field of cybersecurity, a Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) official has noted while emphasizing the importance of enhancing this nation’s cybersecurity posture as well as the need to finalize a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy.
Rodman Deleveaux, a regulatory officer at URCA while addressing a cyber security webinar, noted that cyber security is a multi-stakeholder issue, involving government, crucial infrastructure operators, and consumers.
“I believe that cyber security is a multi-stakeholder issue and each stakeholder has their own key contributions to make to cyber security. In the context of The Bahamas, I think it has made the right steps in addressing cyber security by the establishment of CIRT-BS but I think more work needs to be done to ensure that CIRT-BS is staffed, fully equipped, and also to continue with the development of a national cybersecurity policy,” said Deleveaux.
He noted that while a national cyber security strategy has been initiated, it has not been completed.
“There is room for growth and improvement in The Bahamas in relation to cyber security,” said Deleveaux.
The National Computer Incident Response Team (BS-CIRT) is designated as the central hub for coordinating cybersecurity incident responses to cyber-attacks. It is tasked with delivering cybersecurity support services to government entities, private organizations, and Bahamian citizens, with a special focus on safeguarding critical infrastructure and essential services. The primary objective is to counteract malicious cyber activities effectively.
The BS-CIRT functions as a singular, trusted point of contact for cybersecurity coordination. Its core priorities encompass the identification, defense, management, and response to cyber threats. This initiative is crucial, considering that the current efforts to combat cybercrime are constrained by the available resources within the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The establishment of the BS-CIRT aims to enhance the nation’s cybersecurity resilience and provide a more robust defense against evolving cyber threats.