Pakistan’s National CERT warns of AI-driven cyber threats to banks and critical infrastructure

• The advisory flags risks to banking APIs, payment systems and customer-facing apps.
• Banks have been advised to monitor core banking records and customer balances for discrepancies.
• The warning also covers oil and gas facilities, water utilities, power networks, manufacturing and transport systems.

Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT) has issued an advisory warning that emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cyber threats could target financial institutions and critical infrastructure.

The team, which operates under the Cabinet Division, identified banking application programming interfaces (APIs), payment systems and customer-facing applications as potential targets. The advisory also highlighted risks to core banking records and recommended that banks watch for discrepancies involving those records and customer account balances.

The warning extends to oil and gas installations, water utilities, and electricity generation and distribution networks. National CERT also identified manufacturing and transport systems as potentially exposed to the emerging threats.