Last updated on April 18, 2025

Names and places mentioned herein are hypothetical.

Shalin was a filmmaker who kept all his videos on his laptop — interviews, beautiful scenes, and important projects he worked on for years. His latest movie, Silent Streets, was almost finished.

One night, he clicked on a link that claimed to offer free editing tools for filmmakers. Right after, his screen started acting strange. His files disappeared, and a scary message appeared:

“Your files are locked. Pay $50,000 to get them back.”

Shalin panicked. He tried everything — scanning for viruses, using recovery tools – but nothing worked. The hacker had locked all his work.

Days went by, and the deadline to pay the ransom was getting closer. Feeling hopeless, Shalin searched online to find a place where he could get help and found a website called Hithawathi. He went through their website and used the chat option to explain his problem.

Shalin: I need help. A hacker locked all my files and is asking for money.
Hithawathi: I hope you haven’t paid them, Shalin
Shalin: No, I have not
Hithawathi: It’s dangerous to click on links that promise free stuff or special offers. Don’t do it again. For this problem, contact Sri Lanka CERT or Tech CERT and ask for their expert help. Also, always remember to back up all your work.

For the first time in days, Shalin felt a little bit of hope.

Shalin: Thank you so much.

Precaution tips:

  • Avoid clicking suspicious links – Never click on links that promise free tools or offers without verifying their source.
  • Always backup your work – Regularly save copies of important files to external drives or secure cloud storage.
  • Seek Professional Help – If you face a cyberattack, contact Sri Lanka CERT or Tech CERT for expert advice.