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Artificial intelligence-powered cyberattacks are emerging as a serious threat to Pakistan’s financial and critical infrastructure, according to a warning issued by the National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT).
In an advisory, NCERT, which operates under the Cabinet Division, cautioned that artificial intelligence, automated bots, botnets and agentic tools are making cyberattacks faster, more sophisticated and increasingly difficult to detect.
The warning covers several critical sectors, including banking, energy, electricity, water supply, manufacturing and transportation.
Banks and Digital Payment Systems at Risk
According to the advisory, Pakistan’s banking sector could face attacks targeting core banking systems, digital banking platforms, application programming interfaces (APIs), payment gateways and customer-facing applications.
Such attacks could disrupt online banking services and manipulate account balances displayed to customers, potentially creating confusion and panic.
NCERT advised financial institutions to closely monitor repeated login failures, suspicious authentication attempts, unusual API requests, unexpected application configuration changes and abnormal transaction patterns.
Banks have also been urged to ensure that customer-facing applications display accurate information consistent with their core banking records.
Energy and Critical Infrastructure Under Threat
The advisory warned that vulnerabilities in industrial control systems, connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices and third-party service providers could expose essential infrastructure to cyber intrusions.
Potential targets include:
- Oil and gas installations and refineries.
- Gas and oil pipelines.
- Water supply and utility systems.
- Electricity generation and distribution networks.
- Manufacturing facilities.
- Transportation and other essential services.
NCERT highlighted incidents involving refrigeration and freezer systems at European supermarkets to demonstrate how attacks on interconnected operational systems can cause physical and commercial damage.
However, the advisory clarified that the involvement of artificial intelligence in those particular incidents had not been confirmed.
NCERT Issues Security Recommendations
To strengthen protection, NCERT has advised banks to conduct comprehensive security reviews of core banking systems, APIs and payment gateways.
Financial institutions have also been urged to carry out independent transaction reviews, monitor automated bot activities and investigate suspicious attempts to access their systems.
For energy and industrial organisations, the advisory recommends monitoring unusual changes in refinery operations, pipeline systems, electricity grids and other operational parameters.
Organisations have also been advised to identify all internet-connected IoT and operational technology (OT) devices and restrict direct internet access and third-party maintenance connections.
Organisations Urged to Strengthen Cybersecurity
NCERT has stressed the importance of separating operational technology networks from information technology (IT) systems to prevent cyber intrusions from spreading across critical infrastructure.
The advisory further recommends regular security updates, continuous monitoring of connected systems and maintaining alternative operating procedures in case of cyber incidents.
Organisations have also been urged to strengthen incident-response mechanisms, business continuity plans and security monitoring capabilities.
NCERT directed relevant organisations to maintain security logs and report suspicious activities and cyber incidents to the concerned authorities.
The warning highlights the growing cybersecurity challenges facing Pakistan as artificial intelligence and automated technologies create new risks for financial institutions and essential public services.
