Google LLC is yet to reveal the identity of those who hosted a fake (phishing) website similar to that of Sri Lanka’s Election Commission, according to Computer Crime Investigation Division (CCID) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rohana Premarathna.
A phishing website hosted on a US-based Google server, designed to collect personal information from the Lankan community by using the national emblem of Sri Lanka and the name of the Election Commission, was detected on Friday, August 9.
On August 12, US-based Google LLC responded to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Sri Lanka, confirming that they had removed the content.
Charuka Damunupola, Senior Information Security Engineer at CERT, told the Sunday Times, “Companies like Google LLC rarely disclose the details of website owners. The key factor here is public awareness.
“That’s why we promptly issued an alert and notice to the public; If you come across such fake websites, do not provide any personal information. The domain is crucial in these situations, and immediate action must be taken to take down the domain as soon as it’s detected.”
“Many fake website creators use stolen IDs and credit card information. These fake websites can produce fake documents, including letters that misuse national symbols and appear to come from official bodies such as the President, the National Office or the Sri Lanka Police. Among these, the reported fake website of Election Commission is considered more dangerous.”
“The Election Commission received numerous inquiries from individuals asking about jobs, prompting the Commission to request an investigation. After the Election Commission alerted the CCID about the fake website, the CCID, CERT, and the Election Commission collaborated effectively to have the site taken down from the Google domain within three days,” said Mr Damunupola.
Director General of the Election Commission Saman C Rathnayake, told the Sunday Times last week he intended to contact Google LLC authorities to obtain this information. He emphasised that this situation could pose a significant threat to the Election Commission and the broader Lankan public, and he is determined to explore the possibility of uncovering the identity of the website’s creator. DIG Rohan Premarathna has identified the misuse of the State emblem to create a fake website as a significant national issue. Recognising the urgency of the matter, DIG Premarathna requested the Election Commission to expedite their response by sending their statement to the CCID via WhatsApp instead of the formal way.
Responding to the request, the Election Commission forwarded the necessary statement, and Assistant Commissioner Piyumi Atygala visited the CCID to provide her verbal statement, emphasising the gravity of the situation.
Source: Sunday Times
