Business
XAMPLE – revolutionizing the virtual educational landscape of Sri Lanka

Novelwall Sri Lanka recently developed Xample – a virtual learning environment with powerful learning tools for children striving to achieve top grades at their GCE O/L and A/L examinations. Understanding that a well-rounded and thorough education is paramount to guiding the next generation to a better future, Novelwall launched Xample under the guidance of its founder, Thunku Ousmand.
Xample is an exciting initiative that aims to inculcate perseverance among students while nurturing a positive attitude towards challenges. This virtual learning environment provides students with an effective ‘Testing & Revision Tool,’ designed with many important features for students, parents and teachers on the journey towards achieving exam success. Xample further encourages students to challenge themselves, cultivating self-confidence and resilience, while simultaneously easing the burden of teachers and parents alike.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the surface the shortfalls of the existing education system in the country. Students were lacking engagement in their studies, as remote learning enhanced a disconnect between students and the classroom. In addition, the evaluation process for students with regard to their studies was hindered by the difficulties associated with monitoring in-class behaviour and activity. Students are unable to ask as many questions from teachers and are therefore unable to clarify their doubts, while teachers have lost their class control owing to the virtual environments and are unable to truly motivate students. These failings have been perceived by parents who have taken note of the lack of individual attention and detailed guidance required by students, especially those about to sit for the O/L and A/L examinations. This is, in part, due to the lack of understanding of examination and learning standards from the perspectives of teachers and students alike.
Xample, the brainchild of Thunku Ousmand was developed with these concerns in mind. As such, Xample consists of features that aim at improving and streamlining the online learning experience. Xample offers a testing and learning environment – unifying the process of studying, testing and revision, into one holistic seamless and enjoyable online experience that can bring students to the highest levels of proficiency for the GCE OL/AL examinations. Through its student-friendly online platform, and based on the four steps of learning (preparation, presentation, practice and performance), Xample allows any student to test his or her knowledge of the relevant subjects, with access to relevant past papers and model papers, and simultaneously learn from each mistake via the comprehensive study notes provided with every question. With access to over 25 years of exercises and questions from the best model papers in Sri Lanka, students are provided with a truly immersive experience of continuous testing and learning, as they work towards mastering their subjects. The platform recognizes areas in which students show significant errors and if a student selects subjects where they require improvement, the system will continue to revise the aforementioned areas by consistently testing the student on those areas until sufficient improvement is noticed.
Recognizing that practice makes perfect, this virtual learning environment encourages students to keep trying while familiarizing themselves with the protocol of real-time examinations. Following students’ attempts at each section, a complete analytical report is provided. With this advanced analytical reporting system, the platform can calculate how proficient the student is in every topic of any given subject so that the student, parent or teacher can see if the student has a grasp of the subject matter, and how well the student has performed in a testing environment. This advanced reporting system enables further insight into the likely possibilities of a student’s exam results based on their performance. As Xample can be accessed at any time, parents can track the activities of the student in real-time remotely without distracting the user. Furthermore, the absence of external ads and links in the platform ensures that students’ focus will not be diverted within the learning environment.
Speaking to Thunku Ousmand, the founder of Xample on the pioneering technology that has been introduced to the Sri Lankan educational landscape, “Without a shadow of a doubt, our younger generation, with the exposure to the world of education, has reached out beyond imagination on par with and quite often exceeding the skills of others across global landscapes. The progression of digital education in a global context has signified a gap between education in the developed world and under-developed countries. I believe that our nation too is ready to accept the inevitable transition towards the digitalisation of the education system and bridge this educational gap.”
“As one of the high-tech organisations in the UK which has the DNA of education and with prior partnerships with India to build digital platforms, we have a host of experience. Our Virtual Learning platform is not just a run-of-the-mill, multiple-choice platform for learning, but a dynamic environment that can gauge the level of a student’s competency in any subject. This is not an easy task to achieve. We encourage those that have the same vision to join us on our journey towards improving the overall education landscape in Sri Lanka, providing a way for future generations to be among the best in the world”, added Ousmand.
The educational landscape of Sri Lanka has far to go. Novelwall hopes that with the introduction of Xample, the overall standards of education might be uplifted. Students are the future. By providing them with the necessary steppingstones to unlocking their potential, they will likely grow from strength to strength, soaring beyond the boundaries of average education and exceeding expectations.
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
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.
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.
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