The Belize Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry (BCCAR) has taken its Online Business Registry System offline after “unauthorised access to documents” was detected during routine maintenance.
“Some of these documents may contain non-public information and may have been viewed or downloaded,” the agency said in a statement on Friday.
The breach was identified on Tuesday, August 4, during routine system maintenance and was limited to application documents accessible through the system’s information services. The system was taken offline to prevent further access.
According to BCCAR, “The investigation to date has found no evidence that the underlying OBRS platform, core registry database, servers, or administrative accounts were compromised. There is also no evidence that official registry records were amended, deleted, or otherwise altered.”
The agency says credit card information was not affected because that data is not stored in the OBRS. All suspect accounts have been disabled, and an external cybersecurity specialist is assisting with the investigation and independent validation of the system before it returns online.
Restoration of the registry is expected for Monday.
In the meantime, businesses and OBRS users are being advised to “remain alert to suspicious emails, calls or messages referring to BCCAR, OBRS or information submitted through the Registry. Do not provide passwords, financial information, or identity documents in response to an unsolicited request.”
