Pakistan govt issues advisories over potential Indian cyber attacks

The Cabinet Division has issued urgent advisories to all of its departments, warning of potential cyber attacks allegedly originating from Indian threat actors, with particular emphasis on a phishing campaign attributed to the SideWinder group.

According to official sources, the alert highlights an ongoing cyber offensive aimed at compromising Pakistani government systems through phishing emails.

These deceptive messages are reportedly crafted to appear as official communications from the cybersecurity directorate of sensitive institutions, increasing the likelihood of successful infiltration.

SideWinder—believed to be an Indian-state-aligned group—has a well-documented history of targeting Pakistan’s critical infrastructure, military, and diplomatic entities over the past several years.

The group is known for employing social engineering tactics to exploit human vulnerabilities rather than just technical ones.

The advisories emphasized that all personnel have been trained to identify and counter phishing and social engineering attacks, and institutions have been directed to reinforce digital hygiene protocols and remain on high alert.

Cybersecurity officials also reiterated the importance of verifying email origins, avoiding suspicious links or attachments, and immediately reporting any unusual online activity.

The advisory is part of Pakistan’s broader effort to strengthen national cyber defence mechanisms amid rising geopolitical tensions and increasingly sophisticated digital threats.