Regardless of the Sri Lankan government’s announcement of freeing previously blocked by the Rajapaksa regime and even soon 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
The new president, who took office on January 9th, has ordered the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to lift the ban on news internet sites that had been blocked below Rajapaksa.
Right 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 web site Colombo Telegraph was released. The web site remains beneath monitoring at the Sri Lanka Telecom network, the largest telecommunication provider in the country.
Sri Lanka Telecom, a single country, one voice and one block!
Our research reveals that the blocking is speaking spot at the servers ns.slt.lk, specifically the server 203.115..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…1), that makes the website unaccessible.
We have tested this behavior from the following networks inside Sri Lanka Telecom. 203.115.18./24, 203.115.19./24, 203.94.73./24, 220.247.213./24 and 220.247.225./24. The very first four networks correspond to client’s lease lines and the forth network is a government network hosting internet sites like “The Public Service Commission” or the “ICT Agency for Sri Lanka”.
Our investigation confirms that DNS requests in these networks are forwarded to server r1.ns.slt.lk, a domain name server resolver located in the central workplace 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 items in Sri Lanka.
Barracuda is an American security firm funded in 2003 by Dean Drako that became lately notoriously recognized for integrating backdoors in their items.
It is our understanding that the blocking was implemented at the direction of the Telecom Regulatory Commission and/or the Minister. Below the provisions of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act, No. 25 of 1991, s. 69, “the Minister might, upon getting happy of the above matter by Order created either generally and published in the Gazette or specially in writing in respect of any telecommunication service offered in any spot in Sri Lanka or in any ship in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka or in any vehicle or aircraft in or more than 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 details of the case and supply 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/20130124 _Barracuda_Appliances_Backdoor_wo_poc_v10.txt
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History of Colombo Telegraph blocking
1st -December 26, 2011 – We are blocked but we will not be stopped
Second – Might eight, 2012 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked Once more
Third – March 29, 2013 – Sri Lanka Blocks Colombo Telegraph and Chosen Tweets: Colombo Telegraph Unblocked
Fourth – August 23, 2013 – Colombo Telegraph Blocked, How To Attain 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 Property Report: Freedom On The Net 2012, Sri Lanka Is A Country At Danger