Cyber security system to be rolled out by March

It will analyse, detect and timely respond to data breach threats

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is all set to roll out its first indigenous cyber security system to analyse, detect and timely respond to the rising data breach threats.

The system would officially be rolled out by March 2, 2023, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Director General Dr Muhammad Mukarram Khan announced on Thursday.

Speaking at an international conference titled “Cyber Threat Intelligence Summit 2022”, he said that the National Telecom SOC (Security Operation Centre) was being built and the main theme was indigenisation. It would also remove the suspected threat of spying tools used in the imported security systems.

“Telecom SOCs would be integrated into the National Telecom SOC. Work on the three-year project is underway in collaboration with three partners, which would be at par with the best international cyber security systems,” Khan explained.

The government has finally reached consensus on the draft rules for CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Teams) for the project, said Federal Secretary IT and Telecom Mohsin Mushtaq.

The CERTs are under process to protect the computerised land record, millions of Pakistanis data and family tree saved at the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), online bank accounts and digital banking, he said.

Ministry of IT and Telecom Member IT Syed Junaid Imam said that Pakistan was expected to launch the advanced internet technology 5G in 2023, and therefore it was strengthening cyber security to provide high-level security to 5G users.

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Chairman Tauseef H Farooqi said that the authority was building CERT to protect the power sector from any vulnerability. “Pakistan is working to launch mini-grids to light up a large number of isolated villages,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2022.

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