Tech Desk 
Jan 24, 2025
The Cabinet Division has warned that Indian-manufactured mobile phones and other technology devices are a potential threat to Pakistan’s cybersecurity.
Regarding this issue, a letter was sent to the federal ministries, divisions, and all provincial chief secretaries, citing geopolitical tensions with India that could lead to cybersecurity threats to Pakistan's sensitive information infrastructure.
Are made-in-India mobiles cybersecurity threat for Pakistan?
According to government sources, Indian-made products and devices pose a security risk to Pakistan, as they can facilitate data collection and the presence of malware viruses.
Moreover, there is a risk of tampering and spyware viruses in these devices.
Meanwhile, the Indian-assembled iPhones have also been declared a serious risk for Pakistani consumers.
The government has warned that hackers can impersonate Apple support agents or service centres in India and access portals and websites through fake emails or messages.
To lessen risks, the letter recommended purchasing Apple products from reliable certified resellers in Pakistan, checking device seals and keeping Apple devices updated through the iPhone operating system.
The government has also recommended people get updates from Apple's official channels.
The letter also advised the public to use end-to-end encrypted services for communication, strong passwords, and antivirus applications.
