Defence Day Cyber Threat Alert! National CERT Orders 24/7 Monitoring of Critical Digital Infrastructure

Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team has issued a high-level cybersecurity advisory ahead of Defence Day, directing critical institutions to strengthen monitoring, maintain round-the-clock technical readiness, and prepare for possible cyberattacks between September 5 and 7.

The advisory calls on key public-sector bodies, critical information infrastructure operators, and sectoral and provincial CERTs to remain on heightened alert during the period. Institutions have been asked to establish dedicated cybersecurity control rooms and ensure that technical teams and designated focal persons remain available for immediate response.

The National Security Operations Centre, or NSOC, will serve as the country’s central cyber coordination point during Defence Day. It is expected to operate continuously, monitor the national cyber situation, facilitate the exchange of threat intelligence, and support a coordinated response to major incidents affecting digital infrastructure.

Authorities have also directed organizations to continuously monitor critical networks, systems, websites, and digital services and to immediately report suspicious activity, attempted intrusions, or confirmed security breaches.

Critical Systems Placed on Heightened Security

The advisory places particular emphasis on government and other sensitive digital platforms, including websites, online portals, APIs, and email services.

Institutions have been advised to activate web application firewalls and DDoS protection, ensure web-facing systems are fully updated, and apply stronger controls to administrative accounts. Multi-factor authentication has also been recommended for privileged access.

The National CERT has further instructed organizations to update operating systems, disable unnecessary services, and keep firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and intrusion prevention systems active on critical servers.

Sensitive databases should not be directly exposed through public IP addresses, while security logs should be continuously reviewed for signs of unauthorized access or unusual activity.

Officials have also stressed the need for uninterrupted coordination with the NSOC so that threat intelligence and incident information can be shared quickly across institutions.

Backup, Recovery, and Connectivity Plans Put on Standby

The advisory also focuses on operational resilience in the event of a serious cyber incident.

Critical organizations have been instructed to keep disaster recovery sites ready for immediate use and maintain offline or air-gapped backups of important systems, configurations, and data. Recovery mechanisms should also be tested in advance rather than relied upon without verification.

Data centers and security operations centers have been advised to ensure backup internet connectivity and uninterrupted power arrangements, including UPS and generator support.

Technical teams have also been told to remain prepared for rapid escalation, communication and incident response if an attack is detected.

The measures reflect growing concern over coordinated cyber threats against public-facing and critical digital systems during high-profile national events. With multiple institutions expected to operate under heightened vigilance, authorities are aiming to reduce the risk of service disruption, data compromise, and wider impact on Pakistan’s digital infrastructure.