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KARACHI: Pakistan is all set to establish ‘National Cyber Security Authority’ by next year and making it mandatory for organizations to deploy the security-certified infrastructures with effect from July 2028 to foil attempts for data breach and cyber attacks on national institutions and private organizations from beyond the borders.

Speaking at a conference titled ‘InfoSec 2024’ organized by Total Communications here on Thursday, Dr Haider Abbas, Director General/ HeadNational Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT), said the National CERT is going to be transformed into the National Cyber Security Authority of Pakistan this year or the next year.

He said they are establishing a lab which will ensure that organizations are deploying fool-proof security hardware and software and the infrastructure is having passed all security clearance and checks from the lab before its deployment in the country. “This is going to be a big requirement that will be gradually deployed with the passage of time….and it (lab certification) would be made mandatory with effect from July 1, 2028. This is the final deadline.”

Abbas said the country is standing nowhere in the cyber security arena. Even the country lacks the

basic infrastructure for the security.

In their individual capacity, however, many key government organizations are doing wonderful job to protect consumers, clients and national date from cyber attacks including Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

“Unfortunately, most of these organizations are working in silos. The cooperation between these organizations is at very bear minimum level and this is the challenge that I have taken as the head of National CERTs that I have to bring all of them in one platform to collaborate for a joint effort that can help Pakistan to grow in the area of cyber security.”

He said private sector is far more ahead the in terms of the cyber security compliance in terms of security measures, controls and services they are providing. The National CERT Head Abbas invited the private sector to join hands to establish public private partnership to better facilitate the nation.

He said Pakistan is ranked 79th in the global cyber security measures at present. “We have taken initiatives to improve the ranking to 50th position.”

Faiz Ahmad Shuja, Founder and Chairman, Rewterz said many Pakistanis organizations have faced data breach including key state-owned organizations in the past. Proofs suggest most of the attacks were made from outside the borders. India remains top of the list among attackers. While Chinese APTs (Advanced Persistent Threat) are also found among many others.

Shaukat Bizenjo, Additional Director, Digital Financial Services Group, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), said that financial sector remained top focus of the cyber attackers. An IMF study suggests 20,000 cyber attacks took place in the past 20 years. Organizations lost $20 billion in such attacks, while $12 billion out of that was lost alone by the financial sector in the world.

He urged the upcoming digital banks in Pakistan to come up with full cybersecurity measures, as the security remains the key to their success.

Muhammad Zohaib Khan, Chairman P@SHA, said the actual IT exports of Pakistan stands significantly higher at $6-7 billion in FY24 compared to the one reported at record high at $3.2 billion in the year.

He projected the reported IT export would soar to $5 billion in the current fiscal year.

Asif Meenai, GM-CISO, HBL said cyber has become the great enabler in almost all walks of life including digital and online banking, digital currency, healthcare and education. The cyber risk is, however, rising along with increased use of cyber technology.

The one-day conference also featured two panel discussions on “New Approach to the New Norm of Cloud and Modern Cyber Warfare – The AI Factor.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

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