President and other speakers used the January power outage as a wake-up call for Pakistan’s OT cybersecurity, alleging that it was caused by an attack by the foreign hacking group APT.
The president emphasised the value of cyber security and designated it as a national priority. He was speaking at the ACET Solutions-organized first operational technology (OT) conference on cyber-security in Pakistan.
In order to “protect our civilisation,” the president emphasised the importance of investing in skills and young Pakistanis. Operational technology (OT) is the study of the systems that manage the machinery in power grids, water treatment facilities, oil and gas refineries, mines, manufacturing facilities, transportation facilities, and other crucial sectors of the economy.
The president and other speakers used the January power outage as a wake-up call for Pakistan’s OT cybersecurity, alleging that it was caused by an attack by the foreign hacking group APT.
Tauseef Farooqi, the chairman of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), emphasised the necessity of regulating power companies in accordance with the NEPRA’s OT/IT Cyber-security Regulation 2022. All power sector companies must comply with NEPRA’s OT/IT Cybersecurity Regulation 2022 by 2023, he said.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the attack-related disruption of the gasoline supply on the US East Coast highlighted the significance of the OT/ICS Cyber Security Conference.
The conference brought together industrial clients, experts, and policymakers to discuss and address the challenges of OT/ICS. It was aimed at the owners and operators of critical infrastructure. The goal was to give stakeholders a forum to exchange information about best practises, knowledge, and solutions for enhancing the security of critical infrastructure.
Speakers from some of the biggest OT cyber-security technology providers in the world, like Fortinet, spoke at the conference and stressed the importance of protecting Pakistan’s OT. They issued a warning that a lack of cybersecurity might lead to shutdowns or, worse yet, human injury.
According to Fahad Faisal, business development manager for the company, Fortinet, the largest provider of cyber-security technology worldwide, supports Pakistan’s development of cyber-security resilience. Mubarik Mustafa of ACET Solutions, the biggest provider of OT security services in the area, stated that his organisation will aid in defending the nation’s vital infrastructure.