The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a security alert following a cyber attack. The ECP has called on its staff to exercise caution and avoid opening emails that could potentially lead to data leaks.
The alert follows a security breach last month at the National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) due to negligence, which resulted in cyber attackers gaining unauthorized access to data. The incident compelled the banking system to revert to manual methods despite the availability of digital technology.
A week after the attack, NIFT is still working to return to normal operations. All cheque clearances are being processed manually, and digital payment services are still suspended.
The attack prompted the closure of NIFT’s data centres in Islamabad and Karachi last Friday (June 16). In a statement, NIFT claimed no “significant compromise” of its data or systems. However, the statement did imply that a security breach had occurred, albeit an insignificant one.