Criminological Perspectives on Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Challenges in Pakistan: Implications for National Security and Stability

Abstract

Pakistan's greater than ever dependence on digital assets and use of cutting-edge technology has escalated cyber security risks. A number of cyber security risks globally and in Pakistan are data breaches, cyber attacks, identity theft, cyber warfare and cyber espionage. These threats in Pakistan pose risks to critical government and military assets as well as risks to commercial, industrial and financial sectors. Contributing to these cyber security threats are lack of technological proficiency, obsolete technology and general lack of knowledge on the risks of cyber threats. Through cyber challenges, this paper aims to highlight the challenges of national security and financial security threat and some ways of mitigating these challenges. This research employs qualitative research that is phenomenological in nature by using secondary data which is exploratory and descriptive in nature. There is need to formulate and implement comprehensive and sophisticated legal instruments, and more research is required to optimally use legal instruments to digital the assets of society. As society digitalizes, the mitigation of these threats is paramount to the society's resilience, the economy, the national security and technological advancement of the society.