1LINK Clarifies Reports of Cyber Attack on ATM, Online Banking Services in Pakistan

1LINK has issued a public advisory against false rumors circulating on social media and WhatsApp which warned that ATMs and online banking services in Pakistan are at risk.

The payment gateway system has urged the public to disregard these baseless claims. “A similar scare surfaced in 2017 during the ‘Wannacry Ransomware,’ cyber attack, which targeted Microsoft Windows machines, including those used by banks. However, the Pakistan banking sector successfully defended against those attacks in 2017,” it said in a media release on Sunday.

1Link advised the public not to pay any attention to such hoaxes and to consult their banks for any guidance. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is actively working with banks and ILINK to maintain the security of Pakistan’s financial infrastructure and digital payments ecosystem, ensuring compliance with stringent IT and security guidelines. The entity clarified that no cyber threat has been observed in the ATM and online banking ecosystem in this context, and the financial service industry remains as vigilant as ever before.

Rules

1. Be watchful of your surroundings while banking at ATMs, branches, or online, and report suspicious activities immediately.
2. Do not share your payment cards or personal and financial information, such as card number, PINS, OTP, user ID, and password, with anyone.
3. Inspect ATMs for any unusual attachments that could be devices to copy the data on or from your card.
4. Don’t click on suspicious links or share personal information online.
5. Always log out of your online banking session after use.
6. Review your account statement regularly and immediately notify the bank in case of any unauthorized transaction and/or stolen/lost card.