ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has directed relevant quarters to develop a viable national mechanism for cyber security in Pakistan.
While chairing a high-level meeting of the cyber security stakeholders, here on Friday, which discussed the prevailing situation of cyber security in the country, the minister stressed upon the need for a national mechanism to tackle emerging cyber security needs.
The minister stressed upon the importance of a collaborative approach with the private sector to meet global challenges and manage the health of the cyber security ecosystem.
“Emergency measures must be taken to secure data, financial systems, technology platforms, and national-level systems. Robust governance systems are also critical to meeting the country’s needs,” highlighted the minister.
The stakeholders were directed to present a plan of action within the next six days, involving the corporate sector, academia, and the national talent pool. The minister stressed implementing the protocols of cyber security to address vulnerabilities and adopt a proactive approach.
He said a national mechanism will secure the cyber infrastructure of the country and ensure that cyber threats are tackled effectively.
He said that the government will take all the necessary steps to punish the offender for dealing with it including creating public awareness on a large scale which plays a critical role under this policy.
A public-private partnership will provide technical and operational assistance for the same. With this awareness, the government will better equip the citizens to maintain their privacy in the online space.
An active cyber defence is now guaranteed in Pakistan. Hopefully, these necessary steps will create a secure cyber environment in the country and improve its Global Cyber Security Index ranking in the coming years.
He said that in 2018, the government of Pakistan established the National Centre for Cyber Security (NCCS) which was a joint initiative of the Planning Commission and Higher Education Commission. The body currently works in cybercrime forensics, smart devices, and network security.
The meeting was informed that new ways of committing cybercrimes are emerging with each passing days; therefore, research and development are critical in fighting different cybercrimes.
It is where the role of the National Center for Cyber Security (NCCS) comes in. The NCCS deals with both applied and theoretical areas for fighting cybercrime.
It is known for its research on areas such as Cyber Reconnaissance, Cybercrime Investigations, Blockchain Security, Digital Forensics, IoT Security, Intrusion Detection Systems, Mobile Phone Security, Internet Security and Privacy, Critical Infrastructure Security, and Malware Analysis.
The entire world is going digital for all the right reasons. Thanks to its large internet user base, Pakistan has also undergone massive digitisation. With improved internet connectivity, the government, private stakeholders and even individuals are highly dependent on digital services, especially mobile banking and online banking transactions.
Along with these digitisations, new ways of committing crimes have emerged. Cybersecurity threats have been a global challenge, and the government of any country needs to have a dedicated body to fight cybersecurity crime. Pakistan now has such reliable bodies to fight cybercrime.
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However, just because cyber threats exist, it does not mean one can prevent oneself from engaging in online activities. With proper digital hygiene along with government efforts, a country can mitigate cyber threats. In addition to bodies like NCCS, it is also important to have a solid cybersecurity policy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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