A special discussion on implementing the Cabinet decision to connect critical government institutions to the National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC) was held on today (10) at the Old Parliament Building in Colombo.

Organized jointly by Sri Lanka CERT and the Ministry of Digital Economy, this session can be identified as a decisive step toward strengthening the country’s national cyber security framework, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

During the discussion, it was emphasized that cyber security in the modern world is no longer merely a technical concern, but a matter of national importance that directly affects national security, economic stability, and public trust.

Special focus was placed on connecting all government institutions that operate critical information infrastructure to the NCSOC, the statement said. 

Policy-level decisions required for this initiative have already been approved through Cabinet decisions, and the second phase of the programme, connecting the remaining government institutions to the cyber security centre, is scheduled to be implemented by the end of this year.

Priority will be given to critical state institutions, which are also expected to undergo audits conducted through the National Audit Office.

In addition, the session highlighted the importance of properly implementing awareness and training programmes on digital security for all public sector officials.

It was further noted that as Sri Lanka progresses toward a digital economy, cyber resilience must be regarded as a fundamental component of governance and effective public service delivery, PMD said.

The new mechanism is expected to play a key role in preventing and managing disruptions to essential services arising from cyber threats such as defacement of government websites, ransomware attacks, and data breaches.

Through the NCSOC, government institutions will benefit from real-time threat monitoring, early warning systems, and coordinated incident response capabilities.

Accordingly, the initiative was described not simply as a compliance exercise, but as an investment in institutional credibility and long-term resilience, it added.

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eng. Eranga Weeraratne, Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Waruna Sri Dhanapala, officials from the Presidential Secretariat, Chairman of Sri Lanka CERT Tilak Pathirage, Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka CERT Dr. Kanishka Karunasekera, along with several other officials.

A number of heads and senior officials from government institutions identified as operating critical information infrastructure also participated in the discussion.

--PMD--