Advisory issued for iPhone users in Pakistan

2026-03-19 - 11:10

Islamabad: The National Computer Emergency Response Team (National CERT) has issued a cybersecurity advisory for iPhone users in Pakistan, urging them to take precautionary measures amid rising cyber threats. According to National CERT, iPhone users are strongly advised to keep their devices updated and avoid using outdated iOS versions. The advisory also recommends refraining from opening suspicious or unknown links. Users have been cautioned against installing unverified VPNs and connecting to unsecured or untrusted Wi-Fi networks. They have also been urged not to ignore account-related security alerts and to restart their devices regularly as a precautionary measure. Earlier, amid ongoing regional tensions, the risk of cyberattacks has increased, prompting the National CERT to issue an advisory in Pakistan. The national cyber emergency response body warned that government, defence, and financial institutions could be potential targets. It highlighted threats such as deepfake campaigns, spear-phishing attempts, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. The advisory also cautioned that official social media accounts could be compromised, while banking and financial systems may face ransomware attacks. Government employees and the general public have been urged to exercise caution when dealing with suspicious links, emails, and mobile applications. The advisory stresses the importance of multi-factor authentication and immediate system updates, while warning against downloading unverified applications. It further highlighted the risk of psychological operations using deepfakes and fabricated content, urging users to remain vigilant.