Sham Cash App Announces the Launch of a New Update
The management of the "Sham Cash" application announced the launch of an updated version that includes a set of features and enhancements designed to facilitate the user experience and expand the range of services available through the application, according to a statement published on its Telegram channel.
The statement stated that the new update "Sham Cash 2.2.6" comes in the context of the trend towards enhancing flexibility, raising the level of security, and providing more practical tools for managing payments and personal accounts, noting that this update allows the addition of MTN services within the application packages, giving users wider options to complete their daily operations in addition to Share bill payments more easily, along with a new feature that allows another user's account to be shared in a secure and organized way.
In its statement, the application management explained that the version allows the ability to deactivate the account directly from within the application without the need to visit service centers, in addition to creating a personal services profile that helps the user follow up and organize their payments, in addition to allowing the password to be modified from within the account itself, which eliminates the need to log out and makes the security management process smoother.
"Sham Cash" The official channel for the payment of the salaries of Syrian employees
Within one year, the "Sham Cash" application has become the main digital channel for disbursing the salaries of public sector employees in Syria, after the government officially adopted it as of May 2025 as a practical alternative to ATMs, which have suffered for years from a lack of liquidity and frequent breakdowns.
Today, the application is the largest government electronic payment platform in terms of the number of users, as it covers approximately 1.25 million employees who receive their salaries and compensation through their accounts opened with the Central Bank of Syria.
The adoption of the application came with a direct decision from the Ministry of Finance, which issued a circular to the department's accountants in public entities that salaries must be transferred to "Sham Cash" accounts, in a way that shortens the traditional procedures and relieves the pressure on banks, and the employee no longer needs to visit banks to withdraw his salary, as he can receive the amount in cash or transfer it through a wide network of agents and licensed exchange companies spread in the governorates.
The application offers a range of services that have made it part of users' daily financial lives, most notably the ability to pay electricity, water, internet, and telecommunications bills without additional commissions, in addition to instant transfer between accounts, payment of university fees and official transactions, and this expansion of services has enhanced the app's presence as an integrated payment platform, not just a channel for disbursing salaries.
Widespread controversy over the "Sham Cash hacking" incident
The incident of the suspension of the "Sham Cash" application in early March 2026 has reopened a wide debate about the security of government financial platforms in Syria, after it linked a wave of controversy between what the application administration officially announced and what was revealed by a young Syrian residing in Germany who claimed that he was able to hack the system and stop it completely.
The young man, who works in the field of technology in Germany at the time, published a video recording, in which he said that he was able to hack the application and disable it completely, stressing that his goal was to prove that the platform is "not qualified" to protect Syrians' money and personal data, and that what he did was a "warning" of serious gaps in the app's technical infrastructure, and that he did not aim to steal data or money, but rather to expose the fragility of the security system.
Technical challenges
On the other hand, the management of Sham Cash was quick to deny any hacking or data leakage, stressing that the suspension of the service was the result of "technical problems with the domain service providers" after it was exposed to organized reports that exploited a legal loophole related to the international sanctions imposed on Syria, considering that what happened had nothing to do with any technical attack, and that the users' data remained completely secure.
Despite these denials, independent experts pointed out that the incident has already exposed real vulnerabilities in the app's infrastructure, as it was found that the service's domain is registered with companies subject to international laws, making it vulnerable to disruption through legal notices related to sanctions, which puts a financial platform of this size in a vulnerable position.
Criticism has also been amplified by the app's absence from official stores such as Google Play and Apple Store, which deprives it of rigorous security checks imposed by these companies, and makes users rely on APK files downloaded from direct links, which raises the chances of being exposed to counterfeit or hacked copies.