  
The Ministry of Digital Economy in Colombo has issued a circular directing all state institutions to rectify security vulnerabilities identified in websites and web applications developed using the PHP programming language. The alert targets digital infrastructure across the public sector to prevent critical system breaches.
The official directive has been circulated to ministry secretaries, provincial council chief secretaries, commission secretaries, department heads, and the leadership of corporations, statutory bodies, and state-owned enterprises. The widespread notification is particularly crucial given that more than 70 percent of state institution websites and web applications in Sri Lanka are built using PHP.
Key Developments
- The Ministry of Digital Economy issued a formal circular to tackle security flaws in state PHP applications.
- More than 70 percent of government websites and web applications in Sri Lanka operate on the PHP programming language.
- Recipients include ministry secretaries, provincial council chief secretaries, department heads, and leaders of statutory bodies and state enterprises.
- The ministry warned that existing vulnerabilities expose public systems to unauthorized access, operational disruptions, and data theft.
In its warning, the Ministry emphasized that leaving these vulnerabilities unpatched could expose public sector systems to unauthorized access, data theft, and significant operational disruptions. The circular sets out specific measures and risk-minimization protocols that government institutions are required to adopt to safeguard their digital platforms.