Senior Information Security Engineer at the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (SLCERT) - Charuka Damunupola states that the hope of recovering the recently hacked state funds remains positive, through a formal investigation and international cooperation.
He was referring to state funds of nearly USD 2.5 million which were allegedly diverted to an unauthorized account through a cyberattack.
He noted that strong cybersecurity coordination between countries could facilitate the recovery of funds lost in large-scale fraud incidents of this nature.
A joint investigation has already been launched by SLCERT and the Sri Lanka Police, he confirmed.
Noting that the incident has been identified as a Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack, Damunupola noted that it is suspected that the hackers had gained unauthorized access to official email systems and manipulated financial transactions impersonating senior officials or trusted suppliers.
SLCERT is on standby to provide technical support, including digital forensics and data analysis, to the ongoing investigation, he said.
He further stated that as it is believed that the funds have been routed through multiple foreign jurisdictions, required measures have been taken to initiate international-level investigations with the assistance of Interpol.
SLCERT is also working closely with cybersecurity response teams in other countries to trace the transaction flow and identify those responsible.
Authorities have urged both government and private sector institutions to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and exercise greater caution in financial communication systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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