ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday has provided cybersecurity advisory to provinces and ministries to stop data leaks via the dark web. The inaccessible search engines on the internet is known as the dark web or darknet. The majority of payments are made by anonymous, untraceable users using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
The advisory stated, “Leakage of Sensitive Data on Dark Web (Advisory No 53),” stated that the dark web, which accounts for 96% of all data on the internet is a way too crime world.
The dark web fulfils numerous hidden objectives mainly for criminal activity, terrorism, intelligence agencies, non-state actors, and criminal minds. The crimes carried out by dark webs as stated by the advisory are:
- Hacking
- Blackmailing
- Website defamation
- Data dumps
- Accessing personal information of citizens and key appointments via leaked databases
- Financial scams via leaked banking details
- Honey pots to trap civilians and government officials
- Terror financing and money laundering
- Disseminating propaganda
- Recruiting terrorists
- Cross-border collaboration and terrorist support
- The drug, human, and weapons trafficking
- Bounty hunting and ransom attacks
Internet users should be extra precaution regarding their personal information and data shared on the internet. So that their data are not used by criminal activities, hacking, or the dark web. Further, the advisory has stated a few steps to protect one’s data.
These are:
- Stay away from exploring dark web sources
- Remain vigilant while surfing the web
- Never forward, or click a link or pictures shared on email or WhatsApp by unknown sources
- Apply two-factor authentication on all email, social media, and banking accounts.
- Never share a One-Time Password (OTP) with anyone
- Do not install untrusted software or applications (without digital signature) from third-party sources on Windows and Android/i0S phone
- Do not install unnecessary plugins on browsers except Adblock and Adblock plus
- Always install and regularly update reputed antimalware/anti-virus solutions on both Windows/Android phones
- All under command be sensitized not to share personal information, passwords, or sensitive information on phone calls
- Phishing calls from unknown numbers must not be trusted and reported to PTA if found suspicious
- To counter social engineering/scam phone calls, always ask relevant questions from the caller and carefully judge him/her to ensure authenticity
The advisory was set as leaked recordings of top political leaders, including Imran Khan and PM Shehbaz Sharif were surfacing on the internet.
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