The government has issued a security advisory declaring Wi-Fi devices as insecure, prompting the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to urge all organizations to take immediate cybersecurity precautions. The advisory stresses the risks associated with wireless networks, including unauthorized access, malware installation, and theft of sensitive information due to default security settings and lack of user awareness.
To counter these vulnerabilities, the NITB recommends measures such as changing default credentials, using strong, unique passwords, enabling WPA3 encryption, and regularly updating the Wi-Fi name (SSID). It also advises hiding the SSID to prevent public broadcasting and ensuring encryption is properly configured.
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Meanwhile, a report from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has identified the surge in Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) during internet disruptions as a key factor in the country’s slow internet speeds. VPN usage bypasses local content delivery networks (CDNs), causing inefficiencies and increasing reliance on international servers. This has resulted in economic losses, with each megabyte of VPN data costing approximately $1.
VPN bandwidth usage reached a peak of 634 Gbps in August, and while it later stabilized, the PTA stresses the need for a strategy to manage VPN usage and enhance local internet infrastructure. The report links internet speed issues in Pakistan to government tests on a “firewall” designed to monitor and block specific content, leading to disruptions in services.
Pakistan continues to struggle with slow internet performance, ranking poorly globally for both mobile and broadband speeds. The situation has had a detrimental impact on businesses, education, and governance. In 2024, the country suffered a staggering $1.62 billion in losses due to internet and social media shutdowns.
