Business
HNB ‘Diri Daru’ rewards over 2,500 children

HNB ‘Diri Daru’, Sri Lanka’s largest scholarship programme, which presents cash prizes and scholarships to students who successfully pass the grade five scholarship exam and who have a HNB ‘Singithi’ account, rewarded over 2,500 students prizes exceeding Rs. 20 million in value, in its latest edition.
To be eligible to receive prizes and scholarships under the flagship national scholarship programme of Sri Lanka’s leading private bank, students with ‘Singithi’ accounts sitting for the grade five scholarship exam should maintain a minimum balance of Rs. 10,000. Any student who meets this criterion, and who achieves the cut-off mark, is entitled to a cash prize of Rs. 5,000, which will be doubled to Rs. 10,000 if there is a monthly standing order of a minimum of Rs. 500 in place for the account.
“This is the only programme in Sri Lanka to reward all student exceeding the cut-off mark, while meeting the minimum balance requirement,” HNB Chief Manager / Head of Deposits, Viranga Gamage said. “Hence, the Diri Daru scheme benefits thousands of Sri Lanka’s future leaders, each year. It also presents an opportunity for parents to start accumulating funds for their child’s future needs, educational and otherwise.”
HNB was Sri Lanka’s first bank to introduce a branded minor savings account in 1991. Commencing initially with scholarships to top performing students at the all island and district level, the bank has expanded its scholarship programs over the years to include high-achieving GCE and London O/L and A/L students and eventually to any grade five scholarship exam student who achieves the cut-off mark, while maintaining the minimum balance required.
The scholarship scheme extended to GCE and London O/L and A/L student will offer a cash prize of Rs. 25,000, if the HNB accountholder passes the exam successfully. HNB will also provide 100 O/L students and 50 A/L students the cash prize if an account balance of Rs. 25,000 and 35,000 is maintained.
Parents can open a Singithi Lama/HNB Teen Account on behalf of their child with a minimum initial deposit of Rs. 500.
HNB has utilised the Singithi and HNB Teen products to inculcate the savings habit and create interest on savings among young Sri Lankans, especially by linking savings to consistent and tangible rewards. Through this, the bank aims to enhance financial literacy among Sri Lanka’s youth, which is critical for their future, while also providing them with valuable gifts.
HNB is a pioneer in minor savings, offering a comprehensive range of products designed to add value to its young customers. The ‘Singithi Kirikatiyo’ Account is specially designed for new born children and can be opened by parents within three months from the child’s date of birth. The account offers one of the highest interest rates and the bank will gift a free deposit of Rs. 1,000 at the time of opening the account. In addition, accountholders are entitled to special gifts on their birthday relative to the account balance maintained. On reaching five years, each account will be automatically converted to a HNB Singithi account and into a HNB Teen account at the age of 13.
With 254 customer centres across the country, HNB is one of Sri Lanka’s largest, most technologically innovative banks, having won local and global recognition for its efforts to drive forward a new paradigm in digital banking. The bank was ranked among the World Top 1,000 Banks list compiled by the prestigious UK-based Banker Magazine for five consecutive years and declared Best Sub-Custodian Bank in Sri Lanka at the Global Finance Awards 2020. HNB has a national rating of AA- (lka) by Fitch Ratings (Lanka) Ltd
Business
Stealer malware leaked over 2 million bank cards

Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence estimates that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona.
Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below one percent, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid.
Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices.
On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years.
“The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,” says Sergey Shcherbel, expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.
In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections.
The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. “RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,” explains Sergey Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%.
Business
UTE Delivers Sri Lanka’s Largest Cat D8 Tractor to NEM Construction

Caterpillar equipment dealer UTE has delivered the country’s largest Cat D8 Track-Type Tractor to NEM Construction Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant milestone in heavy machinery. This delivery strengthens the long-standing partnership between UTE and NEM Construction, which spans over 45 years. The Cat D8 is expected to boost operational efficiency in large-scale projects. As the sole authorized dealer for Caterpillar in Sri Lanka, UTE continues to provide top-tier machinery and after-sales support. The handover is particularly notable as Caterpillar celebrates its 100th anniversary. NEM Construction’s Chairman, Raja Nanayakkara, praised the Cat D8’s superior performance and UTE’s unmatched service and parts support, which have been key to the company’s long-term collaboration. This purchase highlights the continued trust in both Caterpillar and UTE’s expertise in supporting Sri Lanka’s construction industry.
Business
ComBank’s 2023 Annual Report tops Banking sector at ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s prowess in comprehensive disclosure of sustainability-related information to stakeholders has won its 2023 Annual Report two top awards at the 2025 Sustainability Reporting Awards presented by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
The Bank was adjudged the overall runner-up and the winner in the Banking category at these awards, repeating the achievement of its 2022 Annual Report which was similarly honoured by the ACCA last year.
The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards recognise Annual Reports that clearly acknowledge and explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business to internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organisation’s policies, targets and long-term objectives towards the goal of sustainable development.
Commercial Bank’s 2023 Annual Report also won two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at CA Sri Lanka’s ‘TAGS’ Awards 2024, excelling in the key aspects recognised by the awards programme which is dedicated to Transparency, Accountability, Governance, and Sustainability – TAGS.
The Bank won the Gold for ‘Corporate Governance Disclosure’ in the Financial Services sector, the Gold for the Best Annual Report among the private sector banks, the Silver for ‘Digitally Transformative Reporting’ across all sectors, and the overall Bronze award for Excellence in Corporate Reporting.
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