Think before you reveal personal details

Most Sri Lankans who fall victim to cybercriminals do so due to lack of awareness, said Loshan Wickramasekara, Manager Information Security at the Financial Sector Computer Security Incident Response Team (FINCSIRT).

Even in rural areas, people are increasingly using ATM cards and smartphones, but many people do not have a proper idea of how to use them, he pointed out.

There are also so many competitions where people can win various prizes that sometimes, verifying the authenticity of competitions is a challenge, he said. “If you are told you have won Rs 5,000 and need to give out some of your personal details to claim the prize, many will divulge the information without thinking, unless they have been educated on what information to give and what not to give.”

Since the younger generation is the more well-versed in digital technology, Mr Wickramasekara opined that cyber- security awareness programmes should begin at school-level.