Explained: NCERT's warning on AI-driven attacks on banks and utilities
Pakistan's National Cyber Emergency Response Team has warned that AI and automated tools are being used for coordinated cyberattacks. Banks, financial institutions and critical infrastructure face greater risk, it said.
- NCERT issued its advisory on 5 November, according to khabr.pk's report.
- Banks, oil and gas, water, power and transport systems are named as at risk.
- Banks are told to use multi-factor authentication and check customer-facing balances against internal records.
What is it? Pakistan's National Cyber Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has issued an advisory saying that artificial intelligence, automated bots and advanced digital tools are increasingly used to launch coordinated cyberattacks. khabr.pk reported on 6 and 7 November that the advisory was issued on 5 November.
How do the attacks work? According to the advisory, criminals use AI-powered tools to find weaknesses in systems, gather information about targets and carry out automated attacks using stolen login credentials. NCERT said these tools could raise the speed, scale and sophistication of such operations. The advisory applies to all sectors, but financial services and operational technology need special attention.
Who is affected? For banks, the possible threats include disruption of digital banking services, automated attempts to get into customer accounts and manipulation of the balances shown to users. NCERT said such changes could cause confusion and panic among customers. Core banking, payment platforms, APIs and mobile apps face higher risk. The advisory also lists oil and gas facilities, water supply networks, electricity generation and distribution, manufacturing units and transport services. A successful breach there could interfere with physical operations and disrupt essential public services.
What should organisations watch for? NCERT listed warning signs: unusually frequent login attempts, repeated authentication failures, credential stuffing, abnormal API requests, changes to application configuration and unexpected transaction patterns. Differences between core banking records and the balances shown to customers could point to manipulation.
What has been recommended? Banks are advised to use multi-factor authentication, strengthen safeguards against automated logins and regularly check customer-facing information against internal records. Utilities and infrastructure operators are told to restrict direct internet exposure, secure remote access, review the protection of connected devices and industrial control systems, and separate operational technology networks from conventional IT systems. Operators were also told to audit network access and isolate critical systems.
The advisory also urges organisations to install security updates regularly, monitor access to operational networks, keep backup procedures and detailed incident records, and strengthen emergency response and business continuity arrangements. It asks them to assess their preparedness for AI-assisted attacks.
What is still open? The advisory referred to recent cyber incidents in Europe that affected supermarket refrigeration and freezer systems, but NCERT said AI's involvement in those incidents has not been confirmed. The material does not say whether any attack of this kind has taken place in Pakistan.
Why it matters for Pakistan
Bank customers in Pakistan rely on digital banking, payment platforms and mobile apps, which the advisory names as higher-risk areas. Changes to the balances shown to users could cause confusion and panic, NCERT said. Households and businesses also depend on power, water, oil and gas and transport, where a breach could disrupt essential services. Banks and utility operators are the ones asked to act on the recommendations.
