Pakistan’s cybersecurity landscape is rapidly evolving, with increasing threats targeting critical infrastructure, financial institutions, and government entities, according to PTA. Despite ongoing efforts in capacity-building and awareness-raising, challenges such as limited resources, a shortage of skilled professionals, and inadequate public-private collaboration continue to hinder progress.
From July 2023 to June 2024, Pakistan saw a surge in cyber-attacks, including malware, phishing, Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, ransomware, and insider threats. These evolving threats highlight the need for enhanced international cooperation to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity defenses. Although Pakistan is working to build global synergies, the PTA stresses the need for more strategic actions to safeguard its digital ecosystem.
A major concern is the shortage of skilled cybersecurity professionals and the lack of effective public-private collaboration. The PTA calls for greater cooperation between sectors to share best practices and address vulnerabilities more effectively. The authority also emphasized the need for continuous efforts to improve the cybersecurity skill set in the country.
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are a key challenge, with groups such as Gamaredon, DoNot, Bitter, Kimsuky, Lazarus, and SideWinder targeting Pakistan’s internet backbone infrastructure, healthcare, and government entities. These highly sophisticated cyber criminals use novel tools and techniques, making them difficult to detect and counter.
Globally, the manufacturing sector has been the most targeted by cyber extortion campaigns, followed by the healthcare and financial sectors. In Pakistan, these sectors have faced increasing threats, particularly from ransomware and APT groups. The telecommunications sector has also seen a rise in phishing attacks, with a global surge of 173% in FY 2023-24.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan has made significant progress in improving its global cybersecurity standing. In 2024, the country achieved Tier-1 (Role Modeling) status in the Global Cybersecurity Index, advancing from its previous rank of 79th. This reflects Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its cybersecurity infrastructure.
PTA’s call for greater international cooperation, improved collaboration, and investment in cybersecurity is critical to securing Pakistan’s digital future. The country must continue to build resilient systems, enhance detection capabilities, and develop a skilled cybersecurity workforce to combat emerging threats effectively.
