Sri Lanka to draft two bills on cyber security laws

The Cabinet of Ministers has green-lighted the drafting of Defence Cyber Commands Act and a bill for imposing cyber protection laws, the Department of Government Information says.

The proposals for the two draft bills were furnished by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Minister of Technology.

With the development of electronic communication, terrorist groups and criminals have a tendency to use cyberspace and electronic communication for terrorist activities, organized crimes and anti-social activities.

Electronic communication across cyberspace has been recognized as a crucial factor that can directly affect national security.

It has therefore been vital to formulate new laws today, covering all sectors for ensuring the national security across including the required provisions so that the operations performed by cyber protection units which are established at the institutional level at present by the three-armed forces, police and other agencies.

Meanwhile, the cyber security preparation of an institutional structure in the connection is coming under the scope of the Technology Ministry. Accordingly, followed by discussions with the Defence Ministry, the Technology Ministry and other related parties, it was decided to formulate a respective draft bill as mentioned above including cyber protection provisions pertaining to defence sector.

Requirement of formulation of new laws is with the intention of creating a regulatory framework for implementing national information apart from those applicable to national defence and cyber protection strategy, formulation of provisions to establish Sri Lanka Cyber Protection Agency to act with other cooperating agencies for the fulfilment of the purpose, the introduction of legal provisions required for protecting infrastructure facilities related to decisive and essential information within the country, prevention of risk activities that affect the cyber security as well as creating a formal cyber protected environment within the country.