ISLAMABAD – National CERT placed government websites on high alert, ordering them into “Read-Only” mode to prevent possible cyberattacks, hacking attempts, and data breaches as the country celebrates one year of Marka-e-Haq, and hacking of state portals on these occasions is nothing surprising.
Under new advisory, all federal and government-operated websites were immediately switched to “Read-Only” mode in an effort to shield critical digital infrastructure from potential attacks.
The emergency advisory comes as authorities warn of increasing hacktivist activity and possible cyber offensives targeting official Pakistani platforms. The move is being viewed as a major precautionary step to defend sensitive government systems against hacking attempts, online sabotage, and disinformation campaigns.
According to the advisory, government departments have been instructed to take urgent action to block unauthorized access and strengthen cybersecurity defenses across official portals and online citizen services.
CERT warned that one of threats facing government websites is “website defacement,” in which attackers alter homepage content to spread propaganda, fake information, or politically motivated messages. Officials fear such attacks could be used to create panic, damage state credibility, or manipulate public perception during a sensitive regional environment.
The agency flagged danger posed by interactive website tools such as contact forms, search bars, and user-input fields. These features, it said, could be exploited through SQL injection attacks, potentially giving hackers access to confidential databases and sensitive citizen information.
Another major concern raised in the advisory involves file upload functions, which attackers could misuse to install malicious web shells capable of granting long-term access to government systems. CERT further warned that hackers may launch Denial of Service (DoS) attacks by overwhelming backend systems and servers, potentially crippling online government services and making official portals inaccessible to masses.
Authorities further expressed concern over vulnerabilities in content management systems (CMS), particularly outdated plugins, themes, and software components that could serve as easy entry points for cyber intrusions. Brute-force attacks aimed at obtaining administrator credentials were identified as another serious risk.
The threat landscape includes both state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) groups and ideologically motivated hacktivist networks. Officials warned that these actors may attempt either long-term infiltration of government infrastructure or high-profile website attacks designed to attract public attention and spread chaos online.
Potential targets listed in the advisory include federal and provincial government portals, citizen service platforms, and official databases containing sensitive state and public information.
