Fri, 29 Mar 2024 Today's Paper

Dramatic rise in cyber crime during COVID-19 lockdown: CERT

3 June 2020 07:18 pm - 3     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A A A

The COVID-19-induced island wide curfew saw a dramatic rise in cyber crime incidents in Sri Lanka with an alarming number of over 3,900 complaints, according to Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT).

Compared to 2019 which recorded close to 3570 cases, CERT has received over 3900 cyber security related complaints during last nine weeks and it is a very serious situation, CERT Information Security Engineer, Ravindu Meegasmulla told the Daily Mirror.

As COVID-19 cases in the country continue to climb, CERT keeps receiving complaints related to phishing, privacy violations, scams, ransomware, social media related incidents and hacking. “The dramatic spike indicates that cyber criminals have taken advantage of the ongoing crisis in the country. We have provided technical support to all the complaints received so far. We expect a huge rise in cyber crime incidents by the end of this year due to COVID-19. It is the duty of the public to be extra vigilant at this time,” Meegasmulla said.

As per COVID-19 security instructions, CERT has temporarily halted accepting complaints via telephone and visits. The two email addresses available for the public to lodge complaints are incidents@cert.gov.lk for cyber security incidents and report@cert.gov.lk for social media incidents.

In March this year, CERT had issued a public warning regarding a high-level threat as hackers could attack remote user credentials and emails when organisations allow employees to work from home.

Later in May, they issued another warning to the public over receiving of One Time Password (OTP) from a local private number, instead of any authenticated service provider. (Piyumi Fonseka)


Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

  Comments - 3

Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka
  • SL in Qatar Thursday, 04 June 2020 11:15 AM

    This is indeed an alarming trend for this many incidents being reported in such a short period of time. As this is nothing new in many parts of the world what counter measures and user education is being put in place to reduce these kinds of cyber attacks?

    Ayan Thursday, 04 June 2020 12:52 PM

    Wow. Imagine how many people got hoodwinked when they tried to do transactions while staying home? It is even scarier when other people don't care this very dangerous issue, not even the media. Their attention is all for dirty politics

    Jude Machado Thursday, 04 June 2020 02:15 PM

    Use Microsoft update to update all PC's. Change passwords, most of all generate simple educational pamphlets to educate the users of both commercial and domestic computers, People will loose funds and need to be savvy. Use the media and TV to pump this info to users.


Add comment

Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.

Reply To:

Name - Reply Comment





Order Gifts and Flowers to Sri Lanka. See Kapruka's top selling online shopping categories such as Toys, Grocery, Kids Toys, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Clothing and Electronics. Also see Kapruka's unique online services such as Money Remittence,Astrology, Courier/Delivery, Medicine Delivery and over 700 top brands. Also get products from Amazon & Ebay via Kapruka Gloabal Shop into Sri Lanka

VAT increase: SOUNDs death knell for publishers, readers

Though the Government imposed VAT (Value Added Tax) on vegetables and other e

How female change-makers are driving Sri Lanka’s energy saving platform

Saving energy has become more of a responsibility than a habit in today’s c

A dull Ramadan awaits Muslims amidst the Soaring Cost of Living

In the coming days, Muslims across the world will welcome the Holy Month of R

New wildlife underpass to curtail HEC

As of February 2024, Sri Lanka lost another 38 elephants as a result of the H