The National CERT (nCERT) recently issued a priority, confidential advisory to secure government digital infrastructure against potential cyber threats. Consequently, nCERT Director General Dr. Haider Abbas dispatched these mandatory security recommendations to 43 federal secretaries, CEOs, and chairmen. The directive strictly targets the protection of E-Office endpoint users across all ministries.
Upgrading Network & Endpoint Defenses
To minimize external exposure, the government must completely segregate E-Office traffic and end devices from the public internet. Therefore, IT departments will host the system within a secure internal network. Additionally, nCERT instructed the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to evaluate an enterprise-level Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution. Furthermore, authorities must deploy a properly configured Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) to monitor, filter, and control all inbound and outbound E-Office traffic.
Moreover, endpoint protection is now absolute. All accessing systems must install Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions or regularly updated antivirus software linked to a central monitoring system. Specifically, nCERT recommends considering the “Firethorn” solution already deployed at their headquarters.
Stricter Access Controls & VPN Restrictions
nCERT is heavily restricting system entry points. Specifically, access remains strictly limited to authorized users and designated networks. To enforce this, ministries will utilize IP whitelisting alongside strict IP and MAC address binding. Consequently, only pre-authorized devices will connect to the platform. Furthermore, the government recommends using Active Directory (AD) to implement uniform security policies across all official email and E-Office users.
Additionally, the directive strictly bans unauthorized VPN usage. Users require explicit prior approval from the NITB for any VPN connectivity. Furthermore, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is now mandatory for E-Office usage. Users must adopt strong password practices, including complex credentials and regular updates, while completely avoiding credential sharing.
30-Day Compliance & Governance: nCERT Advises
The government demands full compliance with these parameters within 30 days. To ensure proper governance, nCERT advised the NITB to form a dedicated Cybersecurity team. Alternatively, each ministry must designate a Director Cyber Security to enforce these SOPs and ensure compliance with nCERT and NTISB policies.
Finally, nCERT nominated Mr. Khurram Javed, Director of Capacity Building, to coordinate this massive overhaul. He will directly assist the concerned ministries and departments in deploying these critical cybersecurity controls.
