Top of Form Experts from Kaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, have disclosed a concerning trend: the overall number of cyber threats in Pakistan increased by 17% in 2023 compared to the previous year. This revelation emerged during discussions at the 9th annual Cyber Security Weekend-META 2024, highlighting the evolving cyber threat landscape in the region.
Kaspersky’s data reveals that they blocked 16 million cyberattacks in Pakistan in 2023, with 24.4% of users being affected by online threats. The discussions primarily focused on the security implications of emerging technology trends such as AI, which are reshaping the scale of modern cyber threats.
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Additionally, experts delved into threats targeting industrial control systems within critical infrastructure across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Banking malware attacks increased by 59%, aiming to steal online banking credentials and sensitive information. Trojan attacks, disguising as legitimate programs to execute malicious code, rose by 35%, while ransomware attacks, encrypting victims’ data for ransom, increased by 24%.
Moreover, spyware attacks surged by 36%, compromising user privacy by extracting and transmitting data without consent. Pakistan, as an emerging country embracing digital transformation, plays a crucial role in Asia’s cybersecurity landscape.
As cyber threats evolve in complexity, driven by advanced technologies like AI and geopolitical turbulence, META Research Center’s Global Research and Analysis Team Director, Amin Hasbini, emphasized the surge in cybercrime and the sophistication of cyberattacks.
Kaspersky’s analysis also highlighted the fluctuating cybersecurity threat landscape across the META region. Turkey topped the list with the highest percentage of users affected by online threats (41.8%), followed by Kenya, Qatar, and South Africa. Conversely, countries like Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait reported lower percentages of affected users.
