National CERT Issues Urgent Cybersecurity Advisory as Hackers Target Government Institutions

Pakistan’s government institutions are facing an increased risk of cyberattacks, as the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) issues a comprehensive cybersecurity advisory warning of coordinated malicious activity.

According to the advisory, a threat actor group known as “SideWinder” is suspected of targeting government entities through sophisticated cyber campaigns. These attacks primarily rely on phishing to extract sensitive information from officials and compromise secure systems.

National CERT Issues Urgent Cybersecurity Advisory as Hackers Target Government Institutions

One of the key tactics identified involves the use of fraudulent websites designed to mimic official platforms. Government employees are being misled into entering confidential credentials on fake portals posing as legitimate websites of critical ministries, including the Ministries of Defence and Finance. Additionally, counterfeit links are circulating under the names of regulatory and cybersecurity bodies such as NEPRA and National CERT, further amplifying the risk.

The advisory also highligsend deceptive emails that falsely claim user accounts are being suspended or closed, prompting recipients to click maliciousg deceptive emails that falsely claim user accounts are being suspended or closed, prompting recipients to click harmful links or download infected attachments.

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National CERT has warned that such cyberattacks could pose serious risks to Pakistan’s critical infrastructure if not addressed promptly. In response, it has issued a series of directives to mitigate the threat. It instructed the institutions to immediately block suspicious domains, reinforce firewall protections, and tighten security protocols on email servers.

To further enhance security, multi-factor authentication (MFA) has been made mandatory for access to sensitive systems. The advisory also recommends the deployment of Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools to improve the identification and monitoring of potential cyber threats.

Affected users should change their passwords without delay, particularly if they suspect any compromise. More broadly, both government employees and the general public should remain vigilant against phishing attempts and avoid interacting with unverified links or emails.

The advisory underscores the growing sophistication of cyber threats facing national institutions and highlights the urgent need for proactive cybersecurity measures across all levels of government.