ISLAMABAD, AUG 15: The second trial of a new national security firewall has been completed successfully, according to sources in the telecom sector.

They said the firewall has been installed to address national security concerns, with a focus on blocking controversial content and curbing propaganda on social media platforms.

The installation has been carried out on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) by restricting services of social media apps, the sources said. Features such as audio and video downloading from these apps have been temporarily halted. Mobile signal and internet services were also suspended during the firewall’s deployment, the sources said.

They said social media services will return to normal in the next few days.

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Sources indicate that the firewall is equipped with deep packet inspection capabilities, meant to effectively identify and block content deemed to be spreading propaganda against national security. This technology enables the system to target and filter out specific points of propaganda on social media platforms.

The firewall’s primary function is to ensure the safety and integrity of national security by controlling the flow of sensitive information and preventing the spread of harmful content. The sources said that identities spreading propaganda against national security will be blocked, the sources added.

The National Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) has issued a critical advisory, warning of a heightened risk of cyber attacks targeting organizations across Pakistan.

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The advisory urges all institutions to take immediate precautionary measures to safeguard their digital infrastructure.

According to the National CERT, the primary threat identified is a SQL injection attack, a type of cyber assault in which hackers exploit vulnerabilities in a database to gain unauthorized access. The advisory highlights that hackers may attempt to breach databases to steal sensitive information, posing a significant threat to the integrity and privacy of organizational data.

“Hackers are trying to gain access to sensitive information from various organizations’ databases,” the advisory notes.