Hackers disrupt news website

By Malik Gunatilleke

A local news website was allegedly hacked and disrupted by an unknown party on Friday, preventing the administrators from uploading any news. The hackers, who had allegedly hacked into the e-mail account of the news website lankadissent.com, had sent threatening e-mails to several officials on the account’s contact list. The hackers later disrupted the website itself by changing the administrator’s password and preventing new material from being added on to the site.

Ruwan Ferdinandez, spokesman for the website, which is maintained by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Wing), told The Sunday Times that a letter relating to the hacker incident has already been forwarded to the Free Media Movement (FMM). The spokesman speculated that government forces may be behind the hacking, in a bid to stifle the freedom of the media.

In its letter to the FMM, the website cites several examples of alleged media freedom infringements, adding that speedy action was necessary to check the trend of media stifling.“We believe this is not the work of a single hacker but of an organised group,” the spokesman said. “With all the media suppression surrounding us, we are certain that this is the work of the government.”

On the website, the administrators also claim the government has set up a website monitoring office in front of President’s House to find new means to disrupt news websites. Mr. Ferdinandez said it took a full day’s work to restore the website’s functions and resume operations.