ISLAMABAD: Cyber security in Pakistan has become a major concern. Cyber threats in the country are escalating at an alarming rate. In just one year, cyber attacks in Pakistan surged by 17% in 2023, with 16 million attacks blocked by one of the leading cyber security firms. Yet, a staggering 24.4% of affected users remained vulnerable despite these preventive measures.
Clearly, cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, targeting individuals, businesses, and even critical government infrastructure. But what is a cyber attack, and why does it pose such a significant threat?
The Growing Severity of Cyber Attacks in Pakistan
A cyber attack is when hackers try to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to systems, networks, or sensitive data. These attacks range from minor intrusions to full-scale breaches that can cripple entire organizations.
Cyber attacks range in severity from low (Level 1) to critical (Level 4), with critical incidents posing the highest risks to systems and data. Any critical incident threat in cyber security can compromise sensitive information and infrastructure.
In 2024, banking malware incidents skyrocketed by 114%, while 22.9% of high-severity cyber threats targeted government institutions. High-severity incidents present significant dangers by exploiting advanced privileges. The IT, financial, and industrial sectors faced 15.4%, 14.9%, and 11.8% of high-severity attacks, respectively.
Spyware cases increased by 300% in early 2024. In the third quarter, 29.51% of industrial control systems faced cyber intrusions. Pakistani users struggled with phishing (13.7%) and local malware threats (18.7%), while AI-driven attacks and spear-phishing campaigns targeted Critical Information Infrastructure (CII).
The Call for a National Cyber Security Strategy
“Navigating the Cyber Frontier: Governance and Security in a Global Digital Commons” was a seminar held to discuss the state of cyber security in Pakistan. Experts at the seminar emphasized the need for a comprehensive cyber security framework in Pakistan to combat evolving digital threats.
With AI-powered cyberattacks, espionage, and ransomware bypassing traditional security measures, experts highlighted that Pakistan must invest in advanced cyber security solutions, enforce stronger regulations, and develop proactive defense strategies to counter evolving digital threats.
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Are Cyber Laws in Pakistan Effective?
In 2025, authorities updated Pakistan’s primary cyber security law, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The list of cyber laws in Pakistan under PECA demands an in-depth analysis to outline its areas for improvement.
While PECA defines cybercrimes, the National Cyber Security Policy (2021) provides a broader framework for cyber security in Pakistan. However, this policy lacks critical updates, such as cloud security measures and AI-driven threat response mechanisms. Calls have been made for urgent revisions to address Pakistan’s cyber security gaps.
Pakistan’s Vulnerability to Cyber Attacks
There’s a reason for this country facing increased cyber attacks each year. Some experts have attributed it to a lack of modern technological infrastructure, while a few others have placed the blame on insufficient advancement in IT knowledge.
Whichever source you believe, the country requires cyber security service providers that adhere to the highest standards, as anything less than the best increases vulnerability to threat actors. Fortunately, Pakistan does have a healthy supply of cyber security service providers.
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