COUNTRY FOCUS : PAKISTAN
As the banking and finance industry remains one of the biggest targets for cyberattacks , Kamran Meer , CISO , at Pakistan-based United Bank Limited ( UBL ), discusses operations in the banking sector as the fight to target attackers is on-going .
Safeguarding operation banking sector
Autumn view of the Skardu valley , Gilgit-
Baltistan , Pakistan . Karakoram mountain range in the background
cCan you tell us what your role looks like day-to-day ?
I am responsible for information security of the bank . This involves everything from receiving team members ’ updates on the bank ’ s overall cybersecurity status , along with any high-risk items and , where necessary , communicating these to senior management . In short , I oversee the smooth running of the bank ’ s security posture .
What are some of the cybersecurity implications you come across when working in the banking sector ? on the alert . We receive all kinds of threats – from basic phishing emails to more sophisticated attacks . Protection is a matter of having multiple layers of defense , not just for the corporate network but also for our employees working from home during COVID-19 and for our customers .
What strategies do you have in place for overcoming cyber challenges ?
Essentially , there are three security strategies that we must co-ordinate and run in tandem . The security technology strategy encompasses everything from our firewall to the endpoint protection .
Unfortunately , the banking sector is one of the most heavily targeted by cybercriminals . We are always
Co-ordination is managed by a team of security analysts in our Security Operations Center ( SOC ).
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