National experts from ISACA, SL CERT, and TechCERT join Sinetcom panel discussion

A high-level panel discussion organised by Sinetcom in collaboration with Sophos brought together some of Sri Lanka’s most respected voices in cybersecurity and public sector IT to discuss the evolving threat landscape and the urgent need for collaborative defence strategies. The session took place at the Marino Beach Hotel in Colombo, drawing participation from key public sector stakeholders, IT leaders, and cybersecurity professionals.

The panel featured an engaging and insightful exchange between industry leaders including ISACA Sri Lanka Chapter President Ashane Jayasekara, Sri Lanka CERT Manager – Information Security Senalike Devalawatte, TechCERT CEO Kushan Sharma and Círculo de CISO President Sujit Christy. Their diverse backgrounds — spanning governance, incident response, technical operations, and executive leadership — enriched the dialogue with practical insights and national relevance.

Ashane Jayasekara opened the discussion by emphasising the critical role of strong governance frameworks and audit readiness in safeguarding public sector systems. He highlighted ISACA’s ongoing contribution to improving cyber maturity across institutions, particularly at a time when digital accountability is paramount.

Senalike Devalawatte of SL CERT brought in real-world perspectives from the national cyber defence frontline, outlining trends in recent threat activity and stressing the importance of early detection, intelligence sharing, and structured incident response protocols within public sector entities.

Adding a strong technical dimension, TechCERT CEO Kushan Sharma spoke to the increasing complexity of cyberattacks and the strain these places on national response efforts. He underscored the necessity of real-time monitoring, rapid containment strategies, and deeper collaboration among cybersecurity stakeholders to protect national infrastructure.

Círculo de CISO President Sujit Christy offered a leadership-focused lens, underscoring that cybersecurity is as much about culture and awareness as it is about tools. He called for a shift in mindset — from reactive to resilient — where public institutions place security at the heart of their operational strategy.

The panel sparked meaningful conversations among attendees from various public sector organisations, many of whom acknowledged the need for increased investment in cybersecurity readiness, workforce training, and stronger partnerships between government and technology providers.

Sophos representatives presented their latest innovations in cybersecurity, including Intercept X with Extended Detection and Response (XDR), Managed Detection and Response (MDR), the XGS Series Firewall, and Sophos Central, a cloud-native unified management platform. These solutions are purpose-built to meet the performance, transparency, and compliance needs of the public sector, offering enterprise-grade security in a simplified, scalable format.

As the trusted distributor for Sophos in Sri Lanka, Sinetcom reaffirmed its commitment to supporting government agencies through localised expertise, advanced cybersecurity technology, and ongoing capacity-building initiatives.

The event concluded with a clear and urgent message: “As Sri Lanka advances its digital transformation, cybersecurity must remain a national priority — one that requires shared responsibility, strategic investment, and an unwavering commitment to resilience in the face of growing cyber threats”.