SLBFE probing possible data compromise
Mired with controversies, Sri Lanka’s foreign employment facilitation agency, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has received complaints that certain crucial data has been deemed irretrievable, prompting an internal inquiry to identify the root cause of this.
Unable to retrieve data from its website, several foreign employment agencies have complained and pointed out this issue to the Bureau. “Some agencies have complained that they cannot see data on the website, and some have said they cannot retrieve the data they want,” one official source said. He added that these claims have come on the back of allegations of obsolete and easily manipulatable computer systems in the Bureau.
While the inquiry progresses the incident has already highlighted a critical gap in data protection protocols, he added. “These investigations will reveal if it was indeed a data breach or a data wipe,” the official further commented. SLBFE currently relies on outdated systems that are described as incapable of ensuring the level of security, transparency, and accountability necessary to protect sensitive data. These systems, decades old, have left the SLBFE vulnerable, raising questions about its commitment to international best practices in data management and security.
Meanwhile, at the SLBFE subsidiary, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Agency (SLBFEA) several issues of good governance and best practices pertaining to its computer systems have cropped up. An official of this agency told The Sunday Times Business that the agency’s job website was outsourced to a freelancer about a decade ago and now the job bank has crashed. It hosted about 10,000 job applications of candidates for foreign employment. The official said that this has been the case since April and they’re trying to unravel the mystery of how this has happened. This back-office system was hosted by Sri Lanka Telecom and after interviewing several employees, it was found that the SLBFEA had instructed the freelancer to connect it to the main website.
However, now the freelancer is uncontactable as he is employed out of the country, he said. which is very dangerous and prone to hackers. The outsourcing was not tendered properly, he also said.
Investigations showed that out of the 300,000 migrant workers that Sri Lanka had sent last year, SLBFEA had only sent 400.
According to the official, several probes and investigations had revealed that good governance practises, and best security practises were not adhered to when procuring systems. “The back-office systems have been lost since April and the new resumes that we receive are uploaded in folders on computers. Since we are trying to send a larger number of workers for foreign employment by next year, we will bring in best practices and good governance along with robust security in tandem with the new Ministry of Digital Economy,” he added.
Hitad.lk has you covered with quality used or brand new cars for sale that are budget friendly yet reliable! Now is the time to sell your old ride for something more attractive to today's modern automotive market demands. Browse through our selection of affordable options now on Hitad.lk before deciding on what will work best for you!