Challenges of Cyber Security in Pakistan When it comes to cyber security, the United States and other Western countries.
Especially the European Union, are quick to respond to threats, but they are slow to do the same for cyber-attacks.
Many of these attacks are carried out by criminal actors, who are determined to profit from the growing cyber threat. Pakistan is not immune to cyber threats.
The country has been the victim of several high-profile cyber attacks, including those carried out by international hackers and criminals.
The ones in the US and the UK. However, Pakistan has never fully recovered from these incidents.
In this article, we review the recent attacks against Pakistan and their impact on the country’s cyber security.
What is the threat? (Cyber Security)
The threat of cybercrime in Asia has grown significantly since 2008. According to a report by the Computer Crime and Forensics Research Group (CCFRG) in 2013, around $5 billion (around $8.9 billion in constant 2015 US$) was spent on cyber crime in Asia, while Asian countries lost $30 billion in 2008.
The report shows that cybercrime is not limited to high-end crimes such as:
Cyber crimes against governments, banks, critical infrastructure, or health organizations. Cybercrime is also used by petty criminals in the guise of cheating, fraud, blackmail, cheating, and extortion.
Cyber Criminals are mostly freelance. They are extremely well organized, and they can afford to hire professionals to manage the networks they target.
They rarely operate alone, and their networks are often spread out over many countries. According to the CCFRG report:
the cybercrime network in Asia is incredibly large, encompassing 156 countries.
What are the Cyber Challenges facing Pakistan?
Recent cyber-attacks in Pakistan have been a mixture of techniques and technologies. Cyber Criminals use one cyber-attack technique or technology to avoid detection.
In Pakistan, cyber-attacks are usually launched by organizations, such as local institutions or commercial organizations.
Cyber Criminals launch their attacks from remote locations using sophisticated technical knowledge and network access, while these attacks are not detected until long after the attack is carried out.
Cyber Criminals use technical tools to gain access to a target’s network:
Many organizations take the risk to expand their services, get new clients, or upgrade their networks, and cyber criminals can operate from these organizations.
These organizations may have no cyber security team or plan to respond to cyber-attacks. Without this due-risk strategy!!!
It is easy for cyber criminals to target the entire organization, rather than just one particular service or system.
Cyber Criminals also use cyber tools, such as malware or hacking tools:
Cyber Criminals also use cyber tools, such as malware or hacking tools: to try to gain access to a target’s network.
These tools can be relatively simple, like the USB pen drive, or sophisticated, such as complex tools for cyber attacks against the systems of private and public organizations.
Cyber Criminals also launch cyber-attacks by spreading spam on social networks Cyber Security:
Cyber Criminals also target organizations through the use of social media or other online activities. They spread their propaganda to gather information and insights that they can later use for their criminal actions.
Cyber Criminals also use techniques such as spam:
Emails or sending mass emails to thousands of organizations. Organizations are often unaware of these threats until they see the impact of these cyber-attacks.
For example, cyber criminals may carry out a cyber-attack and then claim responsibility through the use of social media and media.
Another method is to set up malicious websites and domains. In recent years, such websites have sprung up to target businesses in the guise of another entity or organization, such as a non-profit organization, a religious organization, or a government agency.
While the impact of the attack may not have been as devastating as a cyber-attack by a government or military, it can still be harmful.
The website is sometimes designed in such a way that when people access it, they are unknowingly redirected to a malicious website that tries to access information and infect them with malware.
Cyber-attacks are currently being carried out using the methods of cyber-attacks:
which include cyber-attacks using tools and techniques, such as sending spam emails and spreading malicious websites.
The impact of cyber-attacks is mainly limited to businesses since individuals are not at risk.
This is because the methods and tools are very technical, and the impact is not dramatic enough to be a threat to individuals.
However, cyber-attacks are the single biggest threat to businesses, and all organizations need to look out for these attacks and respond to them.
Cyber security researchers, cyber security experts, and cyber security experts in the field must collaborate to counter these threats.
Cyber security experts must share their expertise and work together with organizations in the field to help them improve their security measures.