Pirated software posing threat to cybersecurity

Islamabad: Dr Haider Abbas, Director-General of the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT), has said that Pakistan's technological dependency as a tech consumer state, with the use of pirated software, is posing a threat to the cybersecurity structure.

Dr Abbas was delivering his keynote address at a round table discussion on "Cyberwarfare trends: assessing Pakistan’s cybersecurity preparedness and protective measures" organised by Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) here Wednesday. Members of the think tanks, research scholars, diplomats and corporate representatives were among those present.

Dr Abbas further identified Pakistan’s non-layered approach in terms of Internet connectivity as another challenge. He also pointed out gaps in academia such as a lack of a skill set and teaching without compliance. The right data is the new oil, he stated. He followed up the discussion by highlighting shortcomings in three main aspects: legislation, technology and human resources in the realm of cyberspace in Pakistan. He ended his remarks by mentioning the need to realise the irresponsible and misuse of digital media platforms as a nation.