Growing
challenge of cyber security
Mubasher Mir
It’s a common thing
now-a-days that many of us are receiving fake messages on different mobile
networks that there is a good news for you that you could receive a handsome
amount; for details please contact on these numbers. Some simple people are trapped
and are being looted through fraud and hacking. Hackers can operate anytime
from anywhere. The most favorite sector of hackers is the banking system. It is
considered and a proven fact throughby various reports that this system still
hasloopholes.
As we all know,
Pakistan suffered the largest cyber attack on its banking system in the last
days of October, 2018. It was the worse and most unfortunate day when over 19,000
debit cards worth 2.6 million US dollars from 22 Pakistani banks were found to
be stolen by cyber thieves, better known as hackers.
The most of the
hackers belonged to Russia, but unfortunately, we were unable to protest or
pursue this case because there was no mechanism to stop these unethical and
unlawful practices. The virtual world is still like that; the hackers are still
enjoying unsecure digital world.
Although Pakistan took
several measures to save the banking system but the cyber robberies are
happening in any case. One Time Password (OTP) system was introduced by the
State Bank of Pakistan for foreign and online transactions.
It’s more secure and reliable.
In this present
world, information is more precious than any metal. Thousands of secret
services and social networks are trying to get data through various tools and
methods. Their prime purpose is to get first-hand information and knowledge
about the people, which is most important on this earth. So, the personal data
is precious as well as the thoughts.
The business
scenario on this earth is as important as politicalissues.
Most of the entities have their prime object is to get wealth; some are
trying to earnit while few are trying to grabit. But it
is a reality whether we accept it or not.
Although this
digital world looks very attractive but no one is sure
whether it is secure or not. It is fact that no-one is convicted for
committing digital crime in Pakistan. That’s why people are indulging in taking
risk of cyber attack on data banks of financial institutions.
A famous cyber
robbery was observed in MCB, DHA Phase IV, Karachi where the Operation Manager was
allegedlythe culprit. Handsome number of
depositors were hit by him for a total amount of around
200 million rupees.
Federal Investigation
Agency (FIA) took the notice of this activity and arrested the Operation Manager
of the branch. The major amount was recovered. Now, most of the commercial
banks have system to reconcile their accounts on daily basis, but according to reliable
sources,the MCB is still following the previous practice to reconcile their
accounts i.e. on weekly basis.
The above-mentioned
cyber robbery occurred because of this weak, poor and lethargic way of working
in the above-mentioned institution.
After COVID-19,
E-commerce and online system including banking has been increased. It’s the need
of the hour to have a more secured and reliable digital system, especially in the
financial sector. The guidelines should be revisited by the regulators
concerned. It should be directed by the Ministry of Information &Technology
that the cyber governance should be proactive. It is unfortunate that the draft
of data protection law is yet to be presented in the Parliament.
Although aPersonal
Data Protection Authority has been proposed but when it will be passed from
both the Lower and the Upper houses, nobody knows. I wonder, the lawmakers are
not concerned over the intensity of the situation.
There is a National
Response Center for Cyber Crimes (NRCCC) but they have no mechanism to prevent
the system from hackers. Unfortunately, ethical hackers
are very much here in Pakistan, there is a need to develop the cyber soldiers to
secure the Digital System. Corporatebanking and some public sector
organizations including defence institutions are heading towards the paperless era.
There will be no written back-up in the organization’s record room.
So, the digital
security shield is more important than any other defence system. However, every
institution is seriously working to make its system safe and secured, but we
should keep it in mind that the dark webs are also here.Thus, developing the
cyber army is the futuristic approach.
Now a days, most of
the countries are developing their cyber armies. Some reports show that India
has more thanten thousand cyber soldiers, whereas the most trusted neighbor of Pakistan,
people’sRepublic of China has more than one million cyber security experts. Interestingly,
India has its cyber army, which is called Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) is Tri service
command of the Indian armed forces. According to media reports, Pakistan Army
indentified in August 2020 that the major cyber-attacks on Pakistani websites
were from Indians.
I found a Facebook
page named Pakistan Cyber Army (PCA) having more than 26,000 followers but it
is a private group of Pakistanis. Cyber security experts are trying to defend
the Pakistani websites. There is a need to develop an institution of cyber
security experts in Pakistan officially.The Federal Government should be
vigilant in this regard so as to deal with this challenge.
The writer is
Resident Editor of Daily ‘Pakistan’ Karachi and President of Karachi Editors
Club. He can be reached at: mubashermir99@gmail.com
