Islamabad’s Safe City Authority faced a significant setback as hackers breached its online system, necessitating an immediate shutdown. The Safe City Islamabad Project, aimed at enhancing surveillance and security, encountered vulnerabilities in its digital infrastructure, prompting concerns over system security and resilience. Hackers infiltrated the primary server, accessing sensitive databases and compromising integral systems, including the Complaint Management and Human Resource Management systems.
The breach highlighted systemic weaknesses, with the absence of backup servers and contingency plans exacerbating the situation. Critical services tied to the Safe City initiative, such as mobile applications and police station data, were impacted, underscoring the severity of the breach. Despite the breach, the Safe City cameras’ management system, operating independently through offline direct lines, remained secure, demonstrating the effectiveness of isolated systems in safeguarding against such attacks.
The incident sheds light on controversies surrounding the Safe City project, which has faced legal disputes and financial strains. Litigations over contract transparency and cost inflation have marred the project’s progress, while questions about its effectiveness persist. The breach adds to the project’s challenges, casting doubt on its ability to serve as a cornerstone of Islamabad’s security infrastructure amidst operational, legal, and financial setbacks.
