The PTA chairman affirms that Pakistani data can be purchased for Rs. 500 on the dark web.

ISLAMABAD: Major General (R) Hafeez-ur-Rehman, the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), revealed on Friday that personal information belonging to Pakistani people was discovered on the dark web.

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, which is chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, made the discovery during a hearing. The committee talked on recent media reports indicating that the telecom industry had suffered a significant data leak.

According to a story that surfaced three weeks ago, some data belonging to Pakistani nationals was found on the dark web. After verification, we discovered that there was, in fact, personal information on Pakistani citizens there,” the PTA Chairman told the committee.

He said that travel records, cell SIM information, and copies of national identity cards (CNICs) are among the compromised data.

The PTA Chairman described the data structure, stating that each telecom provider maintains its own data for mobile SIMs rather than having it kept in a single database.

“What’s alarming is how this scattered data ended up collectively on the dark web,” he said, expressing concern over the incident.

Even the information of those who applied for the Hajj was compromised, he continued, and is already accessible online.

He continued, “We are now examining the information that has been leaked to ascertain whether it is outdated data or a component of a more recent breach.” Additionally, he affirmed that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is looking into the situation right now.

According to the PTA Chairman, it costs as low as Rs500 to purchase a person’s whole data profile on the dark web.