Vital Statistics Agency

The Vital Statistics Agency holds nearly four million records of vital events going back as far as 1882. Vital events include registrations of births, deaths, adoptions, name changes, and changes of sex designation.

This audit found that the Vital Statistics Agency needs to do more to manage the security, privacy and integrity of the vital events information it holds.

The report notes the Agency did not regularly review staff access rights to its registry software, nor did it always use secure mail for delivering certificates and registration forms. In addition, the audit found weak physical security controls within the Agency’s office — including inadequate separation between work and public areas.

The audit also found several issues with event registrars. Among them:

• The Agency did not maintain a complete list of event registrars, or validate their identity.

• The Agency did not train event registrars on how to prepare, forward or maintain the privacy and security of vital events information.

Published: September 2020

Sector: Economic Development, Government Operations