The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) Cyber Security Team has issued 152 security advisories and 160 security threats to telecom operators since its inception.
According to documents available to ProPakistani, PTA Cyber Security Team has issued 25 security and threat advisories in the first three quarters of the current financial year. Similarly, 48 security advisories were issued in 2020-21, and 40 security threats/advisories were issued in 2019-20. The regulator’s specific team on cyber security has issued 39 security advisories in 2018-19.
PTA established a sector-specific National Telecom Computer Emergency Response Team (NTCERT) in 2020 for coordination with the industry on cyber security and threat intelligence. To automate the CERT processes, a web portal was established in early 2021 for two-way coordination with the industry.
According to PTA, the portal’s secure access was shared with all licensees. Telecom operators are currently using the portal for threat intelligence information exchange, security readiness, and compliance. Both NTCETR and the web portal are working jointly to provide integrated security awareness and advanced threat intelligence and monitor the telecom cyber threat landscape 24/7 to effectively detect cyberattacks targeting the telecom sector.
