Pakistan government warns financial institutions, industries
about the threat of Indian software
Pakistan's federal government has issued a cybersecurity
advisory, cautioning industries and financial institutions about the use of
Indian-origin software and artificial intelligence (AI) products to safeguard
the country's digital security. India, renowned for its advancements in IT products and services, is a prominent player in the global software development
sector.
Despite India's prominence in the IT industry, Pakistan's government has maintained a stance of avoiding digital collaboration with its neighboring state due to political tensions and hostilities. In a notification released on Monday, the cabinet division of the government expressed concern that certain sectors of Pakistan's fintech industry, including some banks, were involved with Indian-origin companies offering IT products, cybersecurity solutions, and AI services.
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The advisory emphasized that the use of Indian security products and solutions poses an ongoing and concealed threat to Pakistan's critical information infrastructure. It warned of the potential presence of backdoors or malware that could collect logs, data traffic analysis, and personally identifiable information in such products, potentially allowing for direct Indian involvement in Pakistan's critical information infrastructure.
The advisory called on all Federal and Provincial Ministries, including sectoral regulators, to raise awareness among their affiliated organizations and licensees regarding the risks associated with Indian-origin products and solutions. It recommended that all users refrain from installing and using these IT and AI products and consult the Pakistan Software Houses Association to identify suitable and cost-effective alternatives.
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This advisory comes in the context of previous reports indicating that Indian intelligence agencies had targeted Pakistan's government officials and military personnel through cyber-attacks. The army's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, announced that it was conducting investigations into various targets of hostile agencies to address this issue.
Source: Arab News