ISLAMABAD – The National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has addressed the rumours regarding the closure of ATMs and online banking due to cyberattack amid rising Pakistan-India tensions.
In an advisory, CERT termed all the rumours false, stating that no ATM is closed nor has any cyberattack been reported.
In light of Pakistan-India tensions and cyber warfare concerns, the NCERT, financial institutions, and their cybersecurity teams are on alert, it said in the advisory.
The advisory addressed the false rumors about the closure of ATMs and online banking, warning people to beware of such misinformation. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has clarified that the banking system is functioning normally.
All bank customers have been advised not to share their ATM cards or banking information with anyone, avoid fraud, refrain from clicking on suspicious links, and only seek information from verified sources.
Earlier, rumours were spread on social media that ATMs and online banking had been shut down due to cyberattacks.
The rumours surface as tensions between Pakistan and India have mounted. So far, Pakistani forces have shoot down 35 Indian drones, five fighter jets since the neighbouring country targeted civilians in recent missile and air strikes.
The strikes claimed lives of over 30 Pakistani civilians while 51 were also injured.
A day earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan reserved the right to respond to India at a time, place and manner of its choosing, in view of the grave and unlawful Indian aggression of violating Pakistani airspace.
He was addressing a joint news briefing alongside Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in Islamabad on Thursday.
The Deputy Prime Minister said despite repeated provocations, Pakistan being a responsible state has so far exercised strategic restraint, acted with maturity and limited its response strictly to self defence, in accordance with the international law and the UN Charter.
