1 week Ago
Cyber security which is posing a huge threat should be prioritised by policy makers, a top CERT official (Computer Emergency Readiness Team) said. Charuka Damunupola CERT, Lead Information Security Engineer Charuka Damunupola said once the Information and Cyber Security Policy for State institutions is enacted and the Cyber Security Strategy for 2024-2028 is implemented, the growing threat of cyber security could be minimised to a great extent. As of now the draft of the Information and Cyber Security Policy is with the Attorney General’s Department and the Information and Cyber Security Strategy draft is with the Government’s National Policy Committee.
“CERT needs the powers to enforce the law and issue directives to curb cybercrimes in the country,” Damunupola said adding that the draft policy has been in the backburner for far too long. He said security and information needs effective law enforcement to curb crimes and mitigate its impact on individuals and organisations. Having strong passwords and firewalls could minimise the chances of information being hacked but that alone is not adequate to address the issue.
Law enforcement is essential to check the number of crimes according to the CERT official. Cybercrimes involve criminal activities that use digital devices and networks to commit malicious acts. Cyber criminals exploit vulnerabilities in people or security systems to steal data, money or passwords.
The rise in cybercrime during the past year exposed the glaring vulnerabilities of the digital security infrastructure of the country. The most recent incidents were the social media accounts of the Sri Lankan police and the official website of the Government Printing Department which came under cyber attacks. Around 200 foreign nationals alleged to have been involved in financial scams in the country were reported last year.
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