The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has issued a cyber security alert after its employees started receiving emails from unidentified senders.

In a letter issued on July 6, the ECP warned its employees that a ransomware attack was “trying to steal information” through phishing methods.

The letter, written by ECP Information Security Specialist Naveed Ahmed Kandhir, included a screengrab of an email sent to an ECP official that asked the recipient to open an attached RAR file titled “Cabinet”.

Referring to the email, the ECP said that “someone is […] sending the email to all” ECP officials.

The electoral watchdog asked its employees not to open the email, ignore it and report it as spam.

The alleged phishing email informed the recipient about a letter dated July 5 that was attached to the email.

It “warned” the recipient that “details for the above are not submitted” and asked them to provide them by July 11. The email also shared an alphanumeric five-digit passcode without specifying its purpose.

It could not be confirmed whether hackers/spammers got access to any crucial data on political parties as the country prepares for general elections in a few months.