SLT privatisation opposed on national security concerns

• Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security says further privatisation of SLT would expose SL’s critical communication infrastructure
• Asserts move would lead to information of important subscribers being leaked
• As economic security is part of national security, govt. must ensure non-state actors do not have easy access to vital information
• Points out privatisation would increase vulnerability to cyber threats

• By Ajith Siriwardana and  Yohan Perera

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security has opposed the government’s proposal to privatise Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT), as such a move could be detrimental to national security.

A report titled ‘The Effects of the Privatisation of Sri Lanka Telecom on National Security’ pointed out that SLT is already partially privatised, with an international company holding a 44.98 percent stake in the company and the government holding 49.5 percent.

The document was submitted to Parliament by Committee Chair Sarath Weerasekara.

The report cautioned that further privatisation would expose the country’s critical communication infrastructure to private entities, whose profit-oriented interests can compromise national security. 

The report also said that any individual or organisation blacklisted, having assisted terrorists, extremists in any form should not be allowed to buy any shares or have any control over the country’s national assets.

If SLT is privatised, it could have negative implications on national security, the report asserted. 

“SLT fixed line connections are provided to diplomatic missions, high-level public sector, private sector corporate businesses, defence services, police, etc. There will be a high risk of information of important subscribers being leaked out or snooped out. Voice and data could be passed to a third party, both locally and overseas,” the report noted.

The report also highlighted that most of the network elements are designed to cater for call mongering and snooping data and if privatised, the government would lose control and would be unable to find out which subscribers are tapped and monitored. 

The call detail records of VVIPs and security agencies can be easily extracted from billing systems/network elements and passed on to wrong hands, the report warned.

In the mobile network, the private operator can do Geo fencing, know the location of the SIM card user, track the path, get browsing data and switch off a mobile device remotely, using the MDM software, without the knowledge of the user.

National security is not only protection against military attacks but it involves non-military dimensions such as economic security, energy security, food security, etc. and most importantly, cybersecurity. Therefore, the government must ensure that non-state actors do not have easy access to vital information that would affect national security, the report pointed out.

The government must guarantee the safety of the data centres, submarine cable landing stations, nodal points in network, communication towers, engineering rooms and machinery, which are critical national infrastructure of SLT and when in hands of private companies, its safety cannot be guaranteed, the report further noted.

Another risk factor highlighted by the committee is that a successful cyberattack on telecommunications could disrupt the service for thousands of phone subscribers, deny internet to millions of customers, cripple business and shut down government operations, gravely affecting the national security. “SLT must ensure adequate counter measures for the above-mentioned cyberattacks such as firewalls, electronic surveillance, access control devices, etc. Private companies may not commit funds to ensure above, as national security is not their priority. Hence, privatisation would increase vulnerability to cyber threats.”

“Private companies have a legal obligation to maximise profits for their shareholders and as such will not operate in the public interest. The public may have limited or no oversight over operations of a private company and consequently making it difficult to hold them accountable for any wrong doing,” the report added.