ISLAMABAD: National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director General Khurram Ali on Friday said sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) remains the leading cause of WhatsApp account hacking in Pakistan as cybercrime cases continue to rise.
What did the NCCIA chief say?
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Ali said complaints involving hacked WhatsApp and bank accounts have increased, prompting the agency to formulate a dedicated action plan to combat the trend.
He said the NCCIA is establishing a helpline to assist victims in recovering compromised WhatsApp accounts.
Ali also announced that the agency would launch a public awareness campaign in partnership with Meta to educate users about online safety through local-language outreach.
He urged users to enable WhatsApp’s two-step verification feature and avoid sharing verification codes or one-time passwords received on their mobile phones.
“Sharing an OTP is the biggest reason behind WhatsApp accounts being hacked,” Ali said, adding that the agency is also working on technological measures to reduce the misuse of verification codes.
What steps is the agency taking against cybercrime?
The NCCIA chief said the growth in internet and smartphone usage has contributed to an increase in online fraud and cybercrime across the country.
He said several cybercrime networks operating in Pakistan have been dismantled through cooperation with international law enforcement agencies.
Ali advised the public to strengthen the security of both their messaging applications and banking accounts by following basic cybersecurity practices.
The remarks follow an NCCIA operation in May in which authorities arrested four suspects accused of operating an organized network that allegedly sold sensitive personal data belonging to prominent individuals.
According to the agency, the investigation found that the group had been obtaining and selling confidential information for relatively small amounts of money, with officials also examining the alleged involvement of individuals within various institutions who provided access to the data.