Pakistan cyberattacks in 2026 have now crossed 1,000 recorded incidents, the head of the country’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) told a parliamentary committee this week. The figure is a sharp jump from previous years and puts Pakistan’s growing digital economy squarely in the crosshairs of both criminal groups and state-backed actors.
What Did National CERT Tell Parliament?
DG National CERT Haider Abbas shared these figures during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom. He said the organisation has a total workforce of 70 employees. For a country with over 200 million people and a fast-growing digital economy, 70 staff is a very small team.
Haider Abbas confirmed that National CERT uses AI agents to monitor cybersecurity threats. However, the organisation still relies more heavily on manual operations. He told the committee that 30% of its work depends on AI, while the remaining 70% is handled manually. This split raised questions from committee members, who asked whether relying on AI could itself create new security risks.
The DG highlighted the organisation’s security monitoring capabilities and its efforts to strengthen protection against emerging digital threats. The briefing reflects growing attention towards cybersecurity preparedness as government institutions and public services increasingly depend on digital systems.
How Fast Are Pakistan Cyberattacks 2026 Growing?
The numbers tell a clear story of acceleration. Pakistan reported 98 cyberattacks in the first three months of 2026, targeting government institutions, businesses, and educational organisations. By mid-year, that number had grown to over 400. By November, it has crossed 1,000. That means attacks are coming in at a faster rate as the year goes on, not slowing down.
To put it in historical context, Pakistan faced 927 cyberattacks in 2024 and 2025 combined, according to a PKCERT official. The country has already exceeded that two-year combined total in 2026 alone.
Official figures show that Pakistan registered more than 500 cybersecurity incidents in 2025, compared with 410 incidents in 2024. The trend is clearly pointing upward every year, and 2026 is set to be the worst year on record.
Who Is Being Targeted?
Pakistan’s cyber threat landscape in 2026 is characterised by a mix of nation-state cyber espionage, financially motivated cybercrime, hacktivist activity, and large-scale credential exposure. Government institutions, defence organisations, law enforcement agencies, telecommunications providers, educational institutions, and critical infrastructure operators remain the primary targets.
Earlier in the year, the breakdown of attacks showed a wide range of victims. Out of 98 attacks in Q1 2026, 32 targeted provincial government institutions and 21 hit federal government departments. The business sector recorded 16 cases, while 13 incidents were reported in educational institutions. The telecom sector saw four attacks, and three cases each were reported in health, power, and media sectors.
Website hacking was the most common type of cyberattack, with 42 cases reported in that early period. Data breaches represented the dominant category of malicious activity affecting Pakistan during 2026, followed by website defacements, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and initial access brokerage.
What Is the Real Cost for Pakistan?
The human cost of all this is not just headlines. Cybercrime already costs Pakistan an estimated USD 2.8 billion annually, about 1.2 percent of GDP, undermining digital growth and financial inclusion. That is money that could go into salaries, schools, and hospitals instead.
Small businesses carry a big part of this risk. Nearly 85 percent of Pakistan’s business landscape consists of small and medium-sized enterprises, which remain structurally under-equipped to manage digital risk. Cybersecurity audits and mandatory training on phishing and social engineering should be baseline requirements for SMEs, which are the most exposed entry point in the digital economy.
The financial sector is under particular pressure. The State Bank of Pakistan launched its Cyber Shield programme (2025-2030) in February 2026 to counter ransomware, data breaches, and complex attacks amid geopolitical tensions. You can read more about how SBP is reshaping financial-sector rules in our article on SBP open banking rules and Pakistan fintech.
What Is Pakistan Doing About It?
The government of Pakistan announced the formation of the country’s first National Cyber Emergency Response Team on 11 March 2024. Since then, the agency has grown quickly. A significant development came on 14 August 2026, when Pakistan inaugurated the National Cyber Security Operations Centre (NCSOC) under the National CERT.
The government has also developed its Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026 (PISF 2026). This framework sets out standards for how government and private organisations should protect their systems.
The NCERT chief has proposed the creation of a powerful National Cyber Security Authority to oversee cyber protection efforts across the country. He suggested that the proposed authority should operate under the leadership of the Prime Minister to ensure effective decision-making and coordination.
The National CERT chief also emphasised the importance of accountability, recommending that organisations failing to implement required cybersecurity measures should face penalties. He acknowledged that many Pakistani institutions have made notable progress in cybersecurity and said National CERT is working to improve collaboration among government organisations.
For the full background on Pakistan’s National CERT, its formation, and its mandate, the Wikipedia entry has a useful overview.
Why This Matters as Pakistan Digitalises
The surge in attacks comes amid increasing adoption of digital banking, mobile payments, e-commerce platforms, and online financial services. Nearly 90 percent of retail transactions in Pakistan were conducted through digital channels in FY25. More people online means more targets for attackers.
Cybersecurity awareness has not kept pace with digital adoption. That gap is the core problem. Pakistan is building a digital economy at speed, but the defences are still catching up. Pakistan cyberattacks in 2026 passing 1,000 is a loud signal that the country cannot afford to treat cybersecurity as an afterthought.
You can also read how Pakistan’s growing digital user base compares with its security readiness in our article on Pakistan’s 96 million YouTube and 100 million TikTok users.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cyberattacks has Pakistan faced in 2026?
Pakistan has recorded more than 1,000 cyberattacks in 2026, according to National CERT Director General Haider Abbas, who presented the figure to the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom. This exceeds the combined total for 2024 and 2025.
What kinds of targets are attacked most often?
Government institutions at both provincial and federal levels are attacked most frequently. Banks, telecom companies, educational institutions, and SMEs are also common targets. Website hacking and data breaches are the most common attack methods.
Does National CERT use artificial intelligence to fight cyber threats?
Yes, but only partially. National CERT uses AI agents for about 30% of its threat monitoring work. The other 70% is still handled by human staff. The agency has a workforce of 70 people and operates a security monitoring centre to track threats in real time.
What can Pakistani businesses do to protect themselves?
Businesses should conduct regular cybersecurity audits, train staff to spot phishing emails, and follow the Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026 (PISF 2026). SMEs are especially vulnerable and should treat basic security practices as a legal and financial requirement, not an optional add-on.
