Pakistan has increased cybersecurity preparedness ahead of Defence Day on September 6, 2026. The National Cyber Emergency Response Team has issued security instructions to key institutions across the country.
A heightened Cyber Alert will remain in place from September 5 to September 7. Important organisations have been directed to establish special cybersecurity control rooms during this period.
The measures aim to strengthen monitoring and ensure a quick response to possible cyber threats.
National CERT Orders 24/7 Cyber Monitoring
National CERT has instructed provincial and sectoral Computer Emergency Response Teams to remain on heightened alert.
Organisations responsible for critical information infrastructure have also received similar instructions. The National Security Operations Centre will act as the central coordination point during Defence Day.
The NSOC will operate around the clock to monitor Pakistan’s cyber environment. It will also support threat intelligence sharing and coordinate responses to major cybersecurity incidents.
Under the Cyber Alert, institutions must continuously monitor critical networks, websites, computer systems and digital services.
Any serious cyber incident or suspicious activity must be reported immediately.
Cybersecurity focal persons and technical teams must remain available throughout the three-day period.
Websites and Email Systems Under Increased Protection
National CERT has advised institutions to strengthen security for public-facing digital infrastructure. The measures cover websites, online portals, application programming interfaces and email services.
Organisations have been told to activate web application firewalls and DDoS protection. Internet-facing systems should also remain updated and properly secured.
Administrative accounts should use multi-factor authentication and stronger access controls. Institutions have also been advised to update operating systems and disable unnecessary services.
Firewalls and intrusion detection systems should remain active on critical servers. Sensitive databases should not be directly accessible through public IP addresses.
Security teams have also been instructed to review logs for unusual or suspicious activity.
Backup and Disaster Recovery Systems on Standby
The Cyber Alert also focuses on keeping essential services operational during possible disruptions. Institutions must keep disaster recovery sites ready for immediate activation when required.
They have also been directed to maintain offline or air-gapped backups of important information.
Critical system configurations and other essential data should also be securely backed up. Data centres and security operations centres must ensure alternative internet connectivity.
Backup power arrangements should also remain available during the heightened security period.
Pakistan has recently expanded its national cybersecurity infrastructure. The government inaugurated the National Cyber Security Operations Centre at National CERT in August.
The centre is intended to strengthen cyber resilience and improve protection for critical infrastructure and citizens’ data.
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Defence Day will be observed across Pakistan on September 6, 2026, with commemorative events planned nationwide.
