Finance Ministry Investigates Cyber Breach at External Resources Department 🛡️

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has confirmed a cyber security breach within its External Resources Department (ERD), leading to the theft of funds by hackers. • Incident Details: The breach was identified following a suspicious foreign currency payment executed in January 2026. • Action Taken: Investigations are currently being handled by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Central Bank, and the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL-CERT). • Internal Measures: A preliminary internal inquiry has resulted in initiated disciplinary actions against several officials. • International Coordination: The Ministry is leveraging existing agreements with foreign jurisdictions to address the cross-border nature of the theft. • Outlook: While specific loss figures remain undisclosed to protect ongoing probes, the Ministry has pledged to provide updates as investigations conclude. _Status: Based on official Ministry statement; investigations ongoing._