🔒 Govt. Pushes AI-Powered 'National Cybersecurity Framework' to Fight Fraud

Sri Lanka is establishing a unified national cybersecurity architecture powered by AI to combat rising digital financial fraud, cybercrime, and identity scams amid its rapid digital transformation. Key Initiatives & Strategy • National Security Priority: Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne stressed that cybersecurity must transition from a technical issue to a national security priority. • AI-Powered Autonomic Security: The government warns traditional, passive systems are obsolete against international AI threats like voice cloning and advanced scams, urging real-time AI detection systems. • Unified Framework: The Digital Economy Ministry is prioritizing a "National Cybersecurity Framework" to eliminate vulnerability gaps caused by isolated security systems currently run independently by banks, telecom providers, and government entities. Collaborations & Ecosystem • Public-Private Cooperation: The "Scam Shield" initiative—locally engineered by Google Cloud and NCINGA (Google’s 2026 Social Impact Partner)—was commended as a model for developing localized AI-enabled security capabilities. • Broad Inclusion: The state aims to secure a digital ecosystem ensuring trust for citizens across all regions, from rural farmers to ICT/BPM entrepreneurs, fostering broader economic participation. • Stakeholder Alignment: A recent forum hosted by Google Cloud and NCINGA drew top leaders, including Presidential Senior Adviser on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya, SL CERT officials, and international experts, aligning strategies against AI-driven global cybercrime.