Dhaka, April 24 -- Sri Lanka has opened an investigation into a high-stakes security breach after hackers infiltrated the finance ministry's systems to steal $2.5 million, the BBC reports.

The British broadcaster said the diverted funds were intended for a bilateral debt repayment to Australia, scheduled for settlement in September 2025.

Authorities suspect the breach occurred in January, though the narrative only surfaced after the Australian creditor flagged the missing payment.

Harshana Suriyapperuma, the finance ministry secretary, said on Thursday that while the payment was processed, cyber criminals intercepted the transaction and routed the cash to offshore accounts.

As per the BBC, four senior officials at the Public Debt Mana...