Cyberspace of Pakistan is questionable
Cyber tactics in Pakistan is questionable
On September 7th, around 10 am, Karachi electric experienced an attempted attack in their virtual space which caused systemic interruptions while lodging responses to customer complaints and billing payment submission logistics.
Even the helpline number provided to its customers was showing temporarily blocked.
Although, some of the services such as the provision of electricity remained uninterrupted the rest of the operations were severely compromised.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1578882
The CNIC/NTN numbers of millions of customers were maliciously hacked and encrypted. While considering the severity of an attack, Higher authorities decided to get help outsourced from Bleeping computers partner in the No More Ransomware project assisted with an alliance of the European Cybercrime Center, The National High Tech crime unit of the Netherlands police.
Absence of Redressal mechanism to tackle cyber crimes
The cyberattack on the IT department of K.E was none other than just nailing the last screw in the coffin.
Soon Officials representing KE started addressing at public forums and called for the diversion to another web portal for submitting general inquiries and complaints to provide customer services.
One of the Officers representing KE's IT department declared, of an absence of having the redressal Mechanism to give alternative solutions to the public.
Which revealed the poor infrastructure and failure of planning to run the city of lights.
In every country, the systems must have redressal mechanisms to opt alternate options on any cost to reimburse the financial losses and resuming the lost functions generally operated across the station.
Despite the weakened infrastructure of Karachi, cybersecurity is gradually getting its hype day by day, though Pakistan is yet to forecast between the lines when it comes to data security and storage.
Around the afternoon, the email popped up to an official KE's email box, asking for 3.8 million rupees in order to bestow the public key against that malicious encryption. The unknown authority was claiming itself as a Netwalker and claimed to own that attempted attack.
Indeed, Netwalker also warned the KE in proceeding emails that if the ransom is not given then the price might go up to 7million rupees and the encrypted data could be sold on the Dark web.
What is data?
Data could be any information either numerical in most of the cases which carry personal information of someone such as:
Bank account numbers
(Credit /debit card )
Full names
Date of births
Email address and other social media ID's
And last but not least it could be any personal transaction tracking numbers and codes,
Which in general not shared with anyone.
What is Cyber?
The word cyber is relating to the characteristics of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality.
What is Cryptovirology
It is an area of study which deals in programming malicious software using encrypted codes.
Crypto -virology is generally studied and practiced under the discipline of cryptography.
What is hacking?
It is a process to access any confidential information within the virtual space by using malicious software.
Hacker is a person who without any prior consent gets access to any confidential information and integrates into encrypted data already available in the system.
Which generally recognized an intervention in the operation system of a particular user.
What is Malware
Any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer, server, client, or computer network.
A wide variety of malware types exist, including computer virus worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware adware rogue, and other scams, etc.
What are Ethical hacking and its role in Pakistan?
It is abbreviated as CEH, Certified ethical hacker, generally known as a white hat guy who also intervenes or gets access to confidential information but with consent.
Ethical hackers generally experts in penetration testing .which ensures the security of an organization's information system.
There is also another term being used as a grey hat, who hacks with good intention but at times without permission usually at midnight.
As of today, Pakistan just is known to 3 Ethical hackers such as :
Rafay Baloch
Shahmeer
Hoor.
Though Pakistan is housed to a talented nation, despite limited or few resources, the young generation shows up resilient and perseverance in pursuing their ends meet.
Furthermore, it is not about the no of ethical hackers that exist in Pakistan, rather the quality of work they could provide whenever is needed.
But unfortunately, those people have been neglected due to a lack of knowledge and poorly equipped organizations facing in or outside the family.
By government, in 2019, (PIAIC) an institute costs nothing to provide education on Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and so on.
which was assisted by the current President of Pakistan named Dr.Arif alvi.
Besides that Different NGOs have also been supporting the IT department and providing free information on the latest Tech courses.
Among which Sehlani welfare trust is at the top of the list.
Last but not least there is another private organization, comprises: of Top IT officers carrying degrees and certificates across the western allies.
The private firm: Al-NAFI exhibits an international recognition having a big dream to produce millions of IT experts in Ethical hacking and in programming.
Al Nafi caters an edge over its competitors through providing its teaching in courses in various languages such as Urdu, English, and Arabi.
On the contrary, Pakistan's role in Ethical hacking and also in Cybersecurity is still inefficient in tackling Cybercrimes.
FIA cybercrime is still not well equipped based on materials and as well as on the basis of the thought process one could have.
To be concluded, Pakistan needs to bring the mindset to tackle these digital crimes in the future, otherwise the virtual space of the country is on stake.
Hence, this is a time to come up with modern technologies, and investing in its nation by providing free or economical courses in Data Science and Cybersecurity and so on.
Although, if the talent is aligned to solve the country's problems.
Former CIA contractor Edward revealed in an interview that Pakistan is among the topmost countries for surveillance by the US National Security Agency (NSA).
Moreover, Israeli prime minister Netanyahu declared back in 2 years ago that He has attained the goal to bring Israel is among the top countries across the globe proclaiming Giant CybersecurityAgency.
The attack on KE's digital operating system is just the beginning, there are numerous attacks that are being detected by agencies across the state.
But due to lack of knowledge, and determined measures, the data of the nation has been on -stake and highly vulnerable to embrace more attacks in the future.
For more information.
Click on the links below:
https://thediplomat.com/2020/06/the-cyber-threat-facing-pakistan/
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