KARACHI: Amid rising concerns over cyber security in Pakistan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has launched the National Telecom Security Operations Centre (NTSOC), a centralised platform that aims to efficiently manage and mitigate cyber security incidents in the country’s telecom sector.
This development also presents a significant business opportunity for cyber security firms.
The NTSOC, established under the Pakistan National Cyber security Policy 2021 and Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA 2016), aims to secure Pakistan’s critical telecom data and infrastructure against cyber-attacks, according to a PTA statement released on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media , cyber security Expert Etizaz Mohsin said, “The launch of NTSOC by the PTA is a significant step towards improving cyber security in Pakistan’s IT ecosystem and society. It is expected to strengthen the protection of critical telecom data and infrastructure against cyber-attacks, enhance Pakistan’s cyber security ranking and enable quick and effective incident response.”
“The integration of the telecom operators’ Security Operations Centres (SOCs) and the national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) with NTSOC is a positive development that will further enhance Pakistan’s cyber security capabilities,” he observed.
The NTSOC is the first ever sectoral SOC to be introduced in Pakistan, after the issuance of a Cyber Security Policy, as per the PTA statement. It involves three key components, Security Incident and Event Management (SIEM), Threat Intelligence, and Security Orchestration and Automated Response (SOAR) all of which have been indigenously customised to improve the country’s cyber security ranking.
