ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) hasdisclosed that the country’s critical digital infrastructure successfullythwarted two large-scale cyber attacks in recent weeks, with technicalindicators pointing towards Indian state-sponsored actors as the likelyorigin, senior officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The attacks, described by NTC sources as highly sophisticated and bearinghallmarks of advanced persistent threat (APT) groups, targeted governmentcommunication networks and key information systems. One attempt focused onbreaching secure data channels used by federal ministries while the secondaimed at disrupting backbone internet routing protocols, potentiallycausing nationwide connectivity blackouts.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior NTC official told journaliststhat both intrusions were detected and neutralised through enhancedmonitoring systems established after the 2023 surge in cross-border cyberhostilities. “The attack patterns, command-and-control infrastructure, andmalware signatures closely match those previously attributed to Indianintelligence-linked groups,” the official stated.
Cyber security experts note that Pakistan-India digital confrontations haveintensified since 2019, with both countries accusing each other ofsponsoring attacks on critical infrastructure. The latest incidents comeamid heightened tensions following recent diplomatic exchanges over Kashmirand border skirmishes.
Analysts view Pakistan’s ability to repel these attacks as a significantachievement for its relatively young national cyber defence apparatus. Thesuccessful defence demonstrates growing technical maturity and closercoordination between civilian and military cyber commands, they argue.
The revelation has triggered fresh calls from parliamentarians for greaterinvestment in indigenous cyber security capabilities and the finalisationof long-pending data protection legislation.
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Neither the Indian High Commission in Islamabad nor New Delhi’s Ministry ofElectronics and Information Technology has responded to requests forcomment on the allegations.
Source:www.geo.tv/latest/578942-pakistan-foils-two-major-cyber-attacks-traced-to-india-ntc”>https://www.geo.tv/latest/578942-pakistan-foils-two-major-cyber-attacks-traced-to-india-ntc
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