Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity or information technology security (IT security) is the protection of protecting data, systems, servers, mobile devices, and networks from digital attacks. Nowadays there are more devices than people, and attackers are becoming more innovative cyber-attacks are fifth-generation warfare cyberwarfare utilizes techniques of defending and attacking information and computer networks that inhabit.
Cyber Security Attacks
The term “cyberwarfare” is different from the term “cyberwar”. In the fifth-generation warfare used as digital attacks on countries, companies, and people for causing comparable harm to actual warfare or disrupting the vital computer systems, In many modern countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, and North Korea have active cyber competencies for offensive and defensive operations.
Pakistan and India
India and Pakistan have a long-term clash over Kashmir which moved into cyberspace. In 2013, Indian hackers chopped the official website of the Election Commission of Pakistan in an attempt to retrieve sensitive database information. In revenge, Pakistani hackers, called the “True Cyber Army” hacked and ruined 1,059 websites of Indian election bodies. In 2013, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology which is the Department of Electronics and Information Technology Introduced a cybersecurity policy called National Cyber Security Policy 2013 which formally came into effect on July 1, 2013. According to the media, Pakistan has been working on an effective cyber security system, in a program called the “Cyber Secure Pakistan” (CSP). The program was launched in April 2013 by Pakistan Information Security Association and the program has expanded to the country’s universities.
Iran
In February 2020, the telecommunication network of Iran observed extensive disruptions at local time, which engaged about an hour. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology of Iran confirmed it as a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. The Iranian authorities activated the “Digital Fortress” cyber-defense mechanism to repel. Also known as DZHAFA, it led to a drop of 75 percent in the national internet connectivity.
Russia
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia countered and stopped around 25 million cyber-attacks on IT Infrastructure. On 19 October 2020, the US justice department charged six Russian military officers with a worldwide hacking campaign, which attacked targets like the French election, the 2018 winter Olympic Games opening ceremony, US businesses, and Ukraine’s electricity grid. The campaign was believed to have cost billions of dollars for the mass disruption it caused.
Cyber security in Pakistan
The establishment of the National Centre for Cyber Security (NCCS) has been commenced by the government of Pakistan in June 2018. The NCCS project is a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Planning Commission. The Centre constitutes Research and Development (R&D) Labs in reputed universities of Pakistan which were shortlisted after the open call for proposals made by HEC in early 2018. After careful analysis in rounds of assessment, practical proposals from eleven universities of Pakistan have been qualified.
These universities were given the mandate to establish NCCS affiliated Labs in different specialized areas of cyber security under the secretariat of the Centre. It is an honor for Air University that it is entrusted with the status of the NCCS Secretariat in addition to the two affiliated labs in the domain of Cyber Crime Forensics and Smart Devices and Networks Security.
There are numerous rising cybersecurity challenges for Pakistan because the more dependency on cyberspace explores the more digital vulnerability of Pakistan. Here are some of the challenges.
The government of Pakistan has regulated many websites owed to available unpleasant data like YouTube and Torrents, these sites can be easily accessed by using different software. So it has created an unsafe situation for the government because it clearly shows that the administration of Pakistan is not that strong to stop these sites properly. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is a government agency that is designed for the establishment or maintenance of telecommunication. It controls the entire communication setup and sanctions the illegal or threatening sites for the improvement of cyber security reasons. In 2012, 2013 PTA block 15,380 websites/links because of some offensive data on it, but this agency is not that successful in banning the sites like YouTube? Still, it is available in Pakistan so it expresses the greater failure of the government of Pakistan.
That generates a shocking position for Pakistan’s national security to prevail the condition. Furthermore, the American National Security Agency (NSA) is spying on Pakistan through the internet and online communication systems. They stole 13.5 billion of email, phone, and fax communications intercepted, which makes Pakistan the second-highest country to be observed by the NSA after Iran.
That is a shocking condition for Pakistan to take this issue extremely seriously and make proper strategies for the assurance of their personal data or system from such types of undercover work activities.
The banking area is enhancing its dependence on cyberspace and providing E-banking facility to the Pakistani people, but their system is not secure that’s why commonly people they are losing their expectation from the online banking system. However, in Pakistan, different banking organizations take too much time because of the slow transaction of money, and because of this business area or other areas suffers a lot. People cancel their important contracts because of not getting their money on time.
Cyber Attacks in Pakistan:
There are a number of cyber-attacks in Pakistan some are:
- Political extremism
- Unemployment’s
- Extremism
- Ethnic association
- Terrorism
Types of Cyber Crime in Pakistan
Here are some types of cyber-crimes being practice in Pakistan.
Email hacking: Hackers can easily access the mailing address of a person and then use it for negative purposes. Email hacking is creating a more dangerous situation for Pakistan because NASA is getting access to Pakistan’s all-email system. They check each and
Password hacking: Password hacking is a process of retaking passwords from the data that has already been stored. That is the most common activity of hackers and Pakistan becomes its victim very easily.
Online banking hacking: Online banking hacking anywhere hackers gain unauthorized access to the bank accounts or passwords without the authorization or account holder knowledge. Hackers steal the whole record and later they destroy the data. That is a major problem for the Pakistani banking sector to stop it and secure their data properly.
Data diddling: In data diddling the hackers play with personal data and use that information where it is needed.
Salami attacks: Salami attacks are used to crash the system. In which hackers send requests more than the capability of the system. They use different viruses and worms and ultimately cause massive damage to a system.
Cyberstalking: In cyberstalking, hackers may follow a person through using the internet and watch his all activities and send him constant emails.
System damaging: In system damaging the hackers use to get full control over the other person’s PC or laptop and later destroy his whole system or important data.
Financial crimes: In financial crimes the attacker targets credit cards and money laundering. Then hackers use it for online shopping.
Web jacking: It is also practiced in Pakistan, in which hackers gain control over the website and then that site is not in the control of the owner.