28 March, 2024

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Exposé: Srisena Brothers Continue Rajapaksa Policy Of Blocking Colombo Telegraph

Despite the Sri Lankan government’s announcement of freeing previously blocked by the Rajapaksa regime and even after the appointment of President’s brother Kumarasinghe Sirisena as the chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom, Colombo Telegraph continues to be blocked.

New President Maithripala Srisena

New President Maithripala Srisena

The new president, who took office on January 9th, has ordered the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to lift the ban on news sites that were blocked under Rajapaksa.

After the presidential elections of the 8th of January 2015, the Internet blocking that was taking place at the mobile operator Dialog Axiata PLC against the website Colombo Telegraph was released. The site remains under monitoring at the Sri Lanka Telecom network, the largest telecommunication provider in the country.

Sri Lanka Telecom, one country, one voice and one block!

Our research reveals that the blocking is talking place at the servers ns.slt.lk, particularly the server 203.115.0.46, that is actively tampering the name resolution of colombotelegraph.com.

Users requesting access to the domain name colombotelegraph.com that make use of domain name servers depending on Sri Lanka Telecom get a bogus response (127.0.0.1), that makes the site unaccessible.

We have tested this behavior from the following networks inside Sri Lanka Telecom. 203.115.18.0/24, 203.115.19.0/24, 203.94.73.0/24, 220.247.213.0/24 and 220.247.225.0/24. The first four networks correspond to customer’s lease lines and the forth network is a government network hosting websites like “The Public Service Commission” or the “ICT Agency for Sri Lanka”.

Our research confirms that DNS requests in these networks are forwarded to server r1.ns.slt.lk, a domain name server resolver located in the central office of Sri Lanka Telecom at the OTS Bulding in Lotus Road in Colombo.

Our forensic examination also shows evidence that the interception is implemented by a Barracuda* appliance. Barracuda appliances are sold by South Asian Technologies Ltd., the authorized distributor of Barracuda products in Sri Lanka.

Barracuda is an American security firm funded in 2003 by Dean Drako that became lately notoriously known for integrating backdoors in their products.

It is our understanding that the blocking was implemented at the direction of the Telecom Regulatory Commission and/or the Minister. Under the provisions of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act, No. 25 of 1991, s. 69, “the Minister may, upon being satisfied of the above matter by Order made either generally and published in the Gazette or specially in writing in respect of any telecommunication service provided in any place in Sri Lanka or in any ship in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka or in any vehicle or aircraft in or over Sri Lanka or the territorial waters thereof.”

In the absence of such lawful order, we contend that the TRCSL has engaged in an act that is ultra vires. Colombo Telegraph request the Sri Lankan government authorities to examine the facts of the case and provide us with (a) a detailed explanation and (b) an assurance that such unlawful acts shall not be repeated.

*Barracuda Appliances with backdoors;

https://www.sec-consult.com/fxdata/seccons/prod/temedia/advisories_txt/201301240_Barracuda_Appliances_Backdoor_wo_poc_v10.txt

Related posts;

UNP Urges Rambukwella To Unblock Colombo Telegraph

President Rajapaksa Phoned TRC Palpita To Ask Colombo Telegraph Blockade

Ranil Demands Rajapaksa Unblock Web Sites

TRC Head Palpita ‘Selective’ And ‘Inconsistent’

Dhanapala Steps Down From Dialog Board

Fears For Ad Revenue From Dialog Stops Sri Lankan Print Media From Taking Dhanapala Issue

Dhanapala Must Take A Stand And Resign From Dialog, Condemn Its Illegal, Unethical Behaviour – Kumar David

I Give Dhanapala The Benefit Of The Doubt’ Says Radhika

Calling Jayantha Dhanapala A Liar, Or The Tragedy Of Lankan Public Life

Swedish Govt. Appointee Dhanapala’s Unethical Behavior Embarrassment To The SIPRI

‘Dhanapala Must Choose’ Says Saravanamuttu

Picture Evidence: After Dhanapala Addressed BASL Meeting Dialog Blocked Colombo Telegraph Again

Unlawful Restrictions On Media By State Or Private Actors Is A Matter Of Serious Public Concern And Must Be Questioned – Bishop Chickera And Prof. Savitri

Dialog Unblocked Colombo Telegraph For Dhanapala To Address A Public Meeting

Jayantha Dhanapala Is A Liar; Caught Lying Over Silence On Colombo Telegraph Blocking

Jayaratne Says Dhanapala Will Stand By Best Practices, Dhanapala Pussyfoots On Illegal Web Blocking

International Press Institute Urges UN To Ensure Interference With Colombo Telegraph Ends

Colombo Telegraph Has Every Right To Raise Dhanapala’s Conflict Of Interest; Friday Forum Member Speaks Out

Article 19 Slams Ban On Colombo Telegraph Website

Dialog Board Director And Friday Forum Member Jayantha Dhanapala Fails To Stop CT Blockade On Dialog Network

Dhanapala May Be Influenced By Large Payment He Receives From Dialog – Professor Kumar David

‘Dhanapala’s Position Ethically Untenable’ Says Dr. Pradeep Jeganathan

Sara Says ‘Dhanapala – WebBlocking’ Issue Needs To Be Resolved Within The Framework Of Good Governance

Subtle Business Interests More Damaging Than Anti–Democratic Regime: Dhanapala Should Answer Conflict Of Interest Questions – Dr. Nirmal Ranjith

Sri Lanka Blocks Websites And The President Lies On Twitter

Once Again Colombo Telegraph Blocked; Dialog And Etisalat Tamper DNS Responses

TRC Blocks Colombo Telegraph, Warns Service Providers To Maintain It’s A ‘Technical Glitch’

Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Reach Us Now: Sri Lanka Telecom And Mobitel Joins The DPI Club!

Sri Lankan Govt. Periodically Blocked Colombo Telegraph In 2013: US Human Rights Report

History of Colombo Telegraph blocking

First -December 26, 2011 – We are blocked but we will not be stopped

Second – May 8, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked Again

Third – March 29, 2013 – Sri Lanka Blocks Colombo Telegraph and Selected Tweets: Colombo Telegraph Unblocked

Fourth – August 23, 2013 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Reach Us Now: Sri Lanka Telecom And Mobitel Joins The DPI Club!

Other attempts

October 26, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Was Hacked

August 9, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Password Cracking Attempt Blocked

Freedom House Report: Freedom On The Net 2012, Sri Lanka Is A Country At Risk

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Latest comments

  • 18
    1

    Anyone I ask seems to be able to access. Whats the story guys? Attention seeking much?

  • 9
    7

    Not only that.

    1. His brother is SL boss. During MR, his brother GR was overlooking the SLT. So no change.

    2. His other brother mining sand in Jaffna.

    3. Army has been given powers to do police work just like MaRa.

    4. China project will go on.

    5. Daham Sirisena travelling with 40 PSD!

    • 9
      4

      just captious comments being unable to digest the way the new regime moves forward
      To harm MS all thse crapy message – that is all.
      Anyone would hail him to have made price reductions as promised.
      Anyone would commend his speech of the independence day
      Anyone would commend his wastage handling from 2000 to 250 mio for Prez maintenance.
      Anyone would commend his simple no-pompous life style.
      As pointed out by analysts – his brother appointed for ST is a qualified candidate -unlike Nishantha WIckemasinghe who was the SRILANKEN airline chairman alleged to have not even OLEVELs.

  • 7
    0

    Dear Colombo Telegraph. It has been a long and tense battle to temporarily topple the tyrant and win this small battle against Fascism. The deep state constructed by the DJ is alive and doing fine. The Ja Ti Min Trail (Jathi Minissu Trail) from Hambantot to the hills along which the DJs men are to lug their oriental hardware from the confusion transports off shore, is still open and waiting for deliveries to arrive to launch the great war of liberation. Friendship has been warned to move eastward or supplies will be sent immediately for the DJ to launch his campaign for a “sinhala buddhist state” that will hold the “hindu hindhi rashtra” next door in check. Yes. It is still very silky silky I know BUT! I have so far had free access to your website with all its stupid writings.

    Paranoia is a natural form of PTSD and is a likely outcome given what we have been going through and given what lies ahead but do take a leaf out of the book of this Ranil Wickremasinghe fellow and KEEP COOL or be dumb whichever it may be.

    Now please explain what the Burracuda is all about?

    I know it is a nasty fish that travels in massive shoals and attacks tasty creatures but I know very little of the digital version you are concerned by.

    Can you clearly state whether access to your site is being blocked?

    OR is it that the Barracuda is following those who access your site?

    What is this “Back Door”? and what are its implications.

    Please explain.

    Remember that Paranoia is very difficult to treat and even more difficult to manage. Out here they quickly administer the much maligned Electro Convulsive Therapy that brings most paranoia under controll by knocking out the underlying personality. You will feel very relaxed in the resulting vegetative state.

  • 14
    2

    Such a childish behaviour. That’s it. I am not reading your blog any more. I expected certain mature response from a sites like yours and your overreaction puts me off. In any case you were never independent most popular for the time and you have gone into the trap for attention seeking.

  • 9
    2

    What is this paranoia? I’ve been able to access the site without any trouble. Is someone doing it deliberately to make people believe that the new regime is responsible?

    CT apologize to the President for your careless and quick reaction.

  • 2
    1

    Is it a case of old wine in a new bottle now?

    Sengodan. M

  • 5
    4

    It is the name of the game. Blame the ruling govt. get to power and do the same. We had Darmishte papanaya and now yaha palanaya. Darmishta did nothing MR did what was needed. My3 He will hand over the hard wan war against terrorism to the terrorists on a gold plate.

  • 6
    0

    The site is not blocked and can access without any problem

  • 2
    0

    Hmmmm… I use an etisalat phone.. and a mobitel wifi connection.. I can see this website fine..

    why don’t you guys get in touch with the SLT about solving the problem rather than wasting your time being paranoid and writing articles.

    And I have worked with SLT in the past, their IT / Servers are all over the place. Not a central control center for internet based activity. Even if one person got the orders, the other place may have missed things.. It is not the organization.. it is the stupid people in SLT IT section that just do nothing all day. Seriously.. the admin and server teams are not very active until something goes wrong.

    Please write a formal request letter and write the complaint out to the TRC.. Fax it.. and be productive without being paranoid.

    God the effort into this “Forensic Research” you guys have done.. you could have fed a village in that time..

  • 5
    0

    I am using SLT? I am replying? What is this crapy article?

  • 3
    1

    What nonsense is this, I am using SLT and I can see this site perfectly. And I could see very clearly when the previous government was in power as well.

  • 3
    1

    I can access the site without a problem. Check your facts first. I thought you guys are a credible source

  • 2
    0

    I’m using SLT and seeing this fine! Don’t spread bullshit!

  • 0
    0

    I have been accessing CT daily after the elections & not once have been blocked.

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