Sri Lanka's Finance Ministry computer system hacked; $2.5 million stolen

The Sri Lankan Finance Ministry's External Resources Department was hacked by cyber hackers who accessed and carried out a theft involving a foreign currency payment.

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development on Wednesday said it has lodged complaints with the authorised enforcement agencies and other relevant institutions.

"Cyber hackers have gained unauthorised access to the computer system of an External Resources Department within the institution," the ministry statement said.

The statement came as the opposition claimed that $2.5 million of of treasury funds had gone to an unknown, irrelevant account of Australian origin.

A group of opposition lawyers had written to the Speaker of the Parliament on September 2025 as Sri Lanka was due to pay $22.9 million dollars to a creditor.

A partial payment in the balance was $2.5 million and had been paid between December 2025 and January 31, 2026.

It had now been revealed that the part payment had only landed in a hacker’s account, not in the correct creditor's account, the lawyers' group said.

The group called on the Speaker to set up an inquiry as public finances are Parliament’s responsibility.

The issue had been raised at the proceedings of the parliament’s Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).

Government spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayathissa said an official response would be issued soon.