News
80% complaints SLCERT receives are related to social media
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Approximately 80 percent of the complaints Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) receives are related to social media, Senior Information Security Engineer at SLCERT, Charuka Damunupola said.
Apart from this, there are complaints of hackers entering websites and deleting data, and ransomware as well.
“Now there is a lot of discussion on phone hacking. These are mainly phishing attacks,” he said.
Phishing attacks are fraudulent emails, text messages, phone calls or websites that are designed to trick users into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or personal data (for example, Social Security and credit card numbers, bank account numbers, login credentials), or taking other actions that expose themselves or their organizations to cybercrime.
Damunupola said last year they received 31,548 complaints, most of them are issues that arose during social media usage.
“There was a marked increase in online scams. We received 1,609 such complaints. We can divide these scams into several subcategories. You may receive a link by someone who promises you a foreign job. Once you click the link you are taken to a website that asks you for documents such as copies of your NIC, birth certificate, passport, etc. You may pull back at the last moment and not pay them any money, but you are giving very sensitive personal information to malicious third parties. There are many things that such malicious people can do with such sensitive information,” he said.
Damunupola said cyber-criminal can use the copy of an NIC and open an online banking account. If that account is used for criminal activity, investigators might end up suspecting the person whose NIC was used.
“There is currently a scam that is targeting journalists these days. You may receive a message from someone in your friends’ list saying that he or she has applied for a journalism programme that requires votes from his or her Facebook friends. Then you will receive an OTP and the person that reached out to you will ask for the OTP. This is usually the OTP Facebook sends when someone requests a password reset. The moment you give the OTP away, you lose access to the Facebook account,” he said.
Damunupola said that during COVID parents had to buy devices and internet access for their children. There have been many instances where children have used credit cards of their parents for micro transactions, i.e., where users can purchase in-game virtual goods with micropayments. He added that most people are being lured to pyramid schemes in the guise of investing in cryptocurrencies.
“We can’t turn back the clock now. Smartphones have now become indispensable. The entire country was exposed to the QR system during the fuel crisis. We just need to know the limitations and the dark side of technology. Parents also need to think about being a gatekeeper as regard to what the child has access to,” he said.
Damunupola said Sri Lankans must also be weary of what they post on social media. They also need to be weary when taking photos that may compromise them at a later date.
“There are many instances where people at phone shops recover very personal photos and misuse them.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
