Cyber attack hits Pakistani UN Mission accounts, email and YouTube channel breached
A view of an entrance of the United Nations multi-agency compound near Herat November 5, 2009. PHOTO: REUTERS
Hackers have attacked the accounts of Pakistan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), compromising both the official email account and the YouTube channel.
The breach occurred on Friday night, targeting the email ID used by the information wing.
Sources revealed that the mission's YouTube channel was also compromised, with its name, banners, and content altered.
The attack took place on June 14 at 4 pm according to US time. The Pakistani mission has requested that all emails and videos be ignored until they regain control of their accounts.
On May 13, Pakistan underscored the need for a permanent cyber capacity-building mechanism under the UN, particularly in bridging the gap between developing and developed countries, in an effort to promote trust and cooperation among states.
“International cooperation in the area of capacity building on an equal footing is a key measure for a safe, secure, stable and peaceful ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) environment,” Ambassador Munir Akram told the Global Roundtable on ICT Security Capacity Building.