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The Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) has launched a ‘cyber security awareness week’, seeking to protect businesses and individuals from cyber threats. The campaign, which will run from December 18 to 24, will focus on the importance of taking proactive steps to safeguard digital lives, assets, and sensitive mobile data information. This move is part of the PTA’s new Cyber-security Strategy for Telecom Sector.
- The PTA is encouraging businesses, individuals, and families to use strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication.
- There is a focus on teaching the public to be wary of unsolicited messages and report them wherever possible, as well as on the importance of keeping software updated.
- The ‘cyber security awareness week’ will include focus areas such as cyber-bullying, phishing, online fraud, and safe social media practices.
- The campaign will be run on the PTA’s social media platforms and is intended to cover an array of cyber-security issues.
The PTA director general emphasised the need for cyber awareness among both government and private organisations. He mentioned that although sharing information on social media may take just seconds, once uploaded, it often becomes a permanent part of the user’s digital footprint. This information can be exploited for negative purposes. Therefore, the public is advised to exercise caution when sharing content and protect personal information when downloading applications.
The cyber security threats are not just a challenge to digital networks; they also pose a significant risk to national security, economy, and social fabric, the director general said. He also proposed that private telecom companies should provide customers with information about cyber security threats and methods of protection against such threats.
The PTA aims to collaborate with industry experts, academia, and government organisations to build domestic talent pipelines through professional training in the realm of cyber security.
