The Cabinet Division in Islamabad has recently issued a warning to allfederal ministries and departments in response to a series of reportedcyber-attacks. These cyber-attacks have been concerning, as they involvethe use of fake emails and WhatsApp messages that appear to come fromgovernment departments, raising significant worries about the security ofsensitive government information.
One noteworthy aspect highlighted in the warning pertains to theimpersonation of government departments. The fraudulent emails originatedfrom an email ID falsely claiming to be “JS (COORD)” and also from fake IDsassociated with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and PM Secretariat. Suchimpersonation tactics are clearly aimed at deceiving government officialsand have raised red flags in the eyes of experts, as reported in The News.
Moreover, these deceptive emails contain malicious attachments designed toentice recipients into downloading files onto their computers. This is acommon technique employed in cyber-attacks to introduce malware or gainunauthorized access to sensitive data.
The seriousness of the situation is underscored in the letter, whichadvises all federal ministries to exercise caution while the matter isbeing investigated “at the highest level.” This emphasizes the gravity ofthe situation and stresses the need for immediate action to address thiscyber threat effectively.
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In conclusion, the warning letter from the Cabinet Division underscores theseverity of the cyber threats faced by federal ministries and departments.It emphasizes the necessity for immediate actions to bolster cybersecuritymeasures and prevent further attacks. Government officials and departmentsare strongly urged to exercise extreme caution when dealing with emails andmessages from unfamiliar or suspicious sources.