Sri Lanka reported a missing payment of approximately $625,000 to the U.S. Postal Service, just days after hackers stole nearly $2.5 million from the country’s finance ministry. Authorities are investigating potential connections between these incidents, which seem to be business email compromise attacks.

These cyber heists come amid Sri Lanka's ongoing financial troubles, following a 2022 economic crisis that led to debt default and widespread protests, culminating in the ousting of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Australian officials have also flagged irregularities, suggesting these thefts might be part of a broader cybercrime operation.

Harshana Suriyapperuma, Treasury Secretary, disclosed that hackers had manipulated payment details to divert funds into other accounts. Such attacks are popular among cybercriminals and resulted in billions in losses last year according to the FBI.

The repeated security lapses have increased pressure on Sri Lanka’s government. With years of financial hardship still looming, these incidents highlight the ongoing challenges in safeguarding digital transactions and maintaining fiscal integrity in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.