Cyber threat: IBCC suspends certificate verification across Pakistan after cyber security alert

A Cyber threat IBCC certificate verification issue has forced the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen to suspend certificate verification services across Pakistan.

The decision came after a cybersecurity advisory warned government institutions about possible cyberattacks targeting official websites and digital systems.

Officials said the advisory was issued by the National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) after hacking attempts on several government portals and media websites in recent days.

Because of the Cyber threat IBCC certificate verification suspension, the verification of matriculation and intermediate certificates has stopped nationwide.

The process for equivalence and verification of O Level and A Level qualifications has also been halted temporarily.

Sources in the IBCC said thousands of students across Pakistan are facing problems due to the suspension.

Students from cities including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta and Islamabad need certificate verification for university admissions, scholarships, and job applications.

The situation has especially affected students applying to universities abroad.

Without verification or equivalence certificates, many international applications cannot be completed.

Officials said manual verification procedures had already been discontinued earlier.

Because of this, the organization cannot switch back to the old manual system during the current disruption.

Meanwhile, the IBCC has placed its online portal in read-only mode.

Previously registered users can only log in to check the status of their applications.

However, the system is not accepting any new verification or equivalence requests.

IBCC Executive Director Dr. Ghulam Ali Mallah said the organization is working to restore the portal for users inside Pakistan.

He added that overseas applicants will not be able to submit new requests through the portal until the system becomes fully operational again.