With the legalization of gambling and the acceleration of digitalization, Sri Lanka has unexpectedly become a "new paradise" for cybercriminals.
Kaspersky's latest report shows that the country has seen a sharp increase in the number of malware and phishing attacks, with the financial sector particularly targeted by hackers. In 2024, a total of 302 million malware attacks were intercepted globally, with 72.1 million malicious online entities detected, and phishing attacks disguised as financial services increased by 83.4% year-on-year, with Sri Lanka being particularly prominent.
Criminals often impersonate corporate finance or bank employees, using fake invoices, payment notifications, and other means to exploit the "trust chain" within companies to commit fraud, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises vulnerable.
At the same time, ordinary users also face threats: malware often masquerades as VPNs, courier tracking, or gaming apps, and downloading and installing them can lead to significant losses of personal information and financial security.
Kaspersky experts remind that cybersecurity has become a necessity for the survival of both enterprises and individuals. Small and medium-sized enterprises should establish multi-factor authentication, employee training, and threat intelligence sharing mechanisms.
As Sri Lanka's "Digital Government" plan progresses, the data security of the public sector also faces tremendous pressure. Whether it can protect citizens' information and financial security will directly determine whether digital reform is an opportunity or a disaster.
