Govt Websites in Pakistan Locked Down to Protect from Hackers

The National Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) has directed all government and federal websites in Pakistan to switch to a “Read-Only” mode due to rising regional tensions and increased hacktivist activity.

The advisory was issued as a precautionary step to protect official digital platforms from cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. According to the National CERT, government departments must take immediate action to prevent unauthorized access and reduce cybersecurity risks.

The agency said the “Read-Only” mode is necessary to protect websites from several serious threats. One major risk is website defacement, where attackers change webpage content to spread propaganda or fake news. Interactive features such as contact forms and search bars could also be exploited through SQL injection attacks, potentially exposing sensitive citizen data.

The CERT further warned that attackers could misuse file upload functions to install web shells, allowing long-term access to government systems. It also noted that complex backend queries could be used in Denial of Service (DoS) attacks, which can overload systems and make government services unavailable.

According to the advisory, hackers may target weaknesses in content management systems (CMS), including outdated plugins and themes. Attackers could also attempt to gain administrative access through brute-force methods.

The National CERT said the threats may come from state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) groups as well as ideologically motivated hacktivists. Their objectives may include long-term infiltration of systems or gaining public attention by defacing government websites.

Potential targets include federal and provincial government portals, databases, and citizen service platforms.

To reduce these risks, the CERT has recommended several immediate technical measures. Government entities have been advised to block all modification requests on websites, disable forms and login systems, and strengthen databases by removing write permissions.

The advisory also recommends using Content Delivery Networks (CDN) to handle sudden traffic spikes and deploying file integrity monitoring systems to detect unauthorized changes. In addition, strict IP-based access controls should be implemented so that backend systems are accessible only to authorized personnel.

In the event of a cyber breach, the CERT has advised departments to keep static snapshots of websites ready for quick deployment and maintain offline backups for fast recovery.

The National CERT has urged all government organizations to implement the “Read-Only” mode immediately. IT teams have also been instructed to monitor website activity logs for suspicious behavior and ensure that all interactive features remain disabled.

Government departments have been told to report any incidents or concerns directly to the National CERT through cert@pkcert.gov.pk. The agency said these measures are necessary to protect Pakistan’s digital infrastructure from growing cyber threats.