Pakistan’s National Computer Emergency Response Team (National CERT) has issued a nationwide cybersecurity advisory ahead of the first anniversary of Marqa-e-Haq, warning of potential cyber threats targeting key government systems and critical infrastructure.

According to the advisory, the anniversary of the conflict may act as a sensitive trigger point, increasing the risk of coordinated cyberattacks aimed at ministries and state institutions. Authorities have been urged to remain on high alert and strengthen digital defenses as a preventive measure.

National CERT has instructed all federal ministries and departments to immediately update their systems with the latest security patches, including operating systems, firewalls, and antivirus software. Institutions have also been advised to conduct comprehensive security audits and closely monitor networks for any unusual or unauthorized activity.

The advisory further stresses the importance of stronger authentication practices, recommending the use of complex passwords along with multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Officials have also been cautioned about rising threats from phishing campaigns and social engineering tactics, with departments advised to conduct staff awareness training to help identify suspicious emails and malicious activity.

In addition, ministries have been directed to ensure regular backups of critical data and maintain secure storage systems to minimize disruption in case of a cyber breach. National CERT has called for continuous coordination between government bodies and immediate reporting of any vulnerabilities or security incidents to strengthen overall national cyber resilience.