Election Commission of Pakistan on High Alert Potential Cyber Security Breach Detected

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has expressed alarm after numerous employees reported receiving suspicious emails from unidentified senders, leading to concerns of a possible cyber security breach, according to media reports.

Responding swiftly to the situation, the ECP issued a cyber security alert advising its officials against opening any such emails, suspecting a potential ransomware attack aimed at unauthorized data acquisition, as reported by Samaa TV.

A statement released by the Commission urgently called on all employees to exercise extreme caution and disregard any emails from unknown or anonymous sources. The ECP explicitly labeled these emails as potential ransomware threats that could result in the unauthorized extraction of valuable information.

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In addition to warning its employees, the ECP has also urged political parties, candidates, and relevant stakeholders to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to safeguard their digital infrastructure against potential cyber-attacks.

With the upcoming general elections on the horizon, the Commission emphasized the importance of collective efforts in combating cyber threats and maintaining the trust of the electorate.

According to Dawn, a letter titled “Cyber Security Alert,” dated July 6 and written by ECP information security specialist Naveed Ahmed Kandhir, shared a screenshot of an email sent to an ECP official. The email requested the recipient to open an attached RAR file labeled “Cabinet.”

The ECP confirmed that such emails were being sent to all ECP officials and warned that it was a ransomware attack aimed at stealing information. Employees were explicitly instructed not to open the email, ignore it, and report it as spam.

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The alleged phishing email, which was sent to an ECP employee, included an attachment claiming to be a letter dated July 5, as reported by Dawn.

This recent incident comes after Power Minister Khurram Dastgir previously acknowledged in January the possibility of a cyber attack on the national grid during an inquiry into a countrywide power outage, as reported by Dawn.

As the ECP addresses this potential cyber security breach, it remains focused on ensuring the integrity of the electoral process and safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access or exploitation.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) raises concerns over a potential cyber security breach.
• Numerous ECP employees receive suspicious emails from unidentified senders.
• ECP issues a cyber security alert, suspecting a ransomware attack for unauthorized data acquisition.
• Employees cautioned against opening emails from unknown or anonymous sources.
• ECP urges political parties and stakeholders to remain vigilant against cyber-attacks.
• Letter from ECP specialist reveals an email asking to open an attached file, signaling a ransomware attack.
• Phishing emails sent to ECP officials, with warnings to ignore and report them as spam.
• ECP emphasizes collective efforts in combating cyber threats ahead of general elections.
• Previous instances of cyber attacks in Pakistan, including potential threats to the national power grid.

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