Sharp rise in social media hacking since 2019: SL CERT

• Cases increased from 3,556 in 2019 to 20,628 last year

By Huzefa Aliasger   

Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response (CERT) Team in its recent statistics indicates an increase in social media hacking from 3,556 cases in 2019 to 20,628 cases last year.    

Various organisations, such as the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the Sri Lanka Police, are involved in the reporting and tracking of incidents beyond the purview of Sri Lanka CERT.   

The increase in social media hacking according to Sri Lanka CERT is attributed towards COVID-19 pandemic. Where the CERT mentions, “The pandemic has brought about a sudden shift in the way people and organisations operate, relying more than ever on digital technologies and remote work arrangements. This increased digital dependence has made it easier for cyber threats and incidents to spread.”   

 Sri Lanka CERT is working together with other public and private sector monitoring functions to coordinate cyber security activities across the country as a joint effort.