Keeping in view rapidly increasing security threats, PTA Authority issued Critical Telecom Data and Infrastructure Security Regulations (CTDISR) on 8th September 2020 and directed all PTA licensees to implement CTDISR controls by July 2021, to give licensees sufficient time to allocate budget and deploy necessary security controls for compliance. Similarly, PTA directed all licensees to conduct 3rd Party Audits from PTA’s approved Cyber Security Audit Firm.

Since audit companies have grown to a reasonable number therefore, there was need to standardize the audit firms. PTA in this regard prepared Cyber Security Audit Firms Criteria after going through extensive due-deliberation and consultation process with Telecom operators and Security Audit firms. Upon which, several security firms had submitted applications to PTA. Upon assessment of documents in the light of the approved Cyber Security criteria appropriate categories were assigned.

Following is the list of firms listed in accordance with their categories. This list will be constantly updated, as new firms are approved, or categories of existing firms are elevated:

Category Allocated	Security Audit Firm	Email Address	Point of Contact
Cat-I	Ebryx	ali.shahbaz@ebryx.com	Mr. Ali Shahbaz
Cat-I	EY	imran.saeed@pk.ey.com	Mr. Imran Saeed
Cat-I	Risk Associate	kashif.hassan@riskassociates.com	Mr. Kashif Hassan
Cat-I	Trillium	aniqa.fareed@infosecurity.com.pk	Ms. Aniqa Fareed
Cat-I	SGS Pakistan	waqas.awan@sgs.com	Mr. Waqas Awan
Cat-I	BDO	sshah@bdo.com.pk	Mr. Shoukat Shah
Cat-II	Compliance wing	syed.saad@compliancewing.com	Mr. Syed Muhammad Saad
Cat-II	Eunomatix	farooq@eunomatix.com	Mr. Muhammad Farooq
Cat-II	Mutex Systems	samihaider@mutexsystemsltd.com	Mr. Sami Haider
Cat-II	Veiliux	safina@veiliux.com	Ms. Safina,
		shahmeer@veiliux.com	Mr. Shahmeer
Cat-II	YLinx	muhammad.kashif@ylinx.pk	Mr. Muhammad Kashif
Cat-II	Horizon Tech	pmo@horizon.com.pk	Horizon Tech
Cat-II	Security Experts	sidra@securityexperts.com.pk	Ms. Sidra
Cat-II	Xcelliti	kashif.jamil@xcelliti.com	Mr. Kashif Jamil
Cat -II	Cansol Consulting	azfarbaig@cansolconsulting.com	Mr. Azfar Baig
Cat-III	Catalyic Consulting	info@catalyic.com	Catalyic Consulting
Cat-III	Cyberisk	atif@cyberisk.com.pk	Mr. Atif Abro
Cat-III	Kualitatem (Private) Limited	touqeer.afzal@kualitatem.com	Mr. Muhammad Touqeer Afzal
Cat-III	360 Technologies (Private) Limited	nomaniqbal@360technologies.net	Mr. Noman Iqbal
Cat-IV	CyberShell	tayyaba_nafees@cybershellsol.com	Ms. Tayyaba
Cat-IV	Lynx Information Security	info@lynx-infosec.com	Ms. Maliha Safdar
Cat-IV	Delta Dynamics (Private Limited)	tariq@deltadynamics.consulting	Mr. Tariq Jamil
Cat-IV	IT SecurityWall	founder@securitywall.co	Babar Khan

 

Cyber Security Licensee Categorization
Following is the list of audit firms mapped in accordance with their respective categories: 

S. No.	Categories	Licensee Type	Licensee/ Telecom Operators	Cyber Security Audit Experience (in years) (Minimum)	No. of Permanent Technical Resources (Minimum)	No. of Technical Resources Certification (Minimum)
1.	Cat-I	CMOs & Large Operators with multiple Licenses	Ufone, Telenor, JAZZ, ZONG, PTCL, TWA, SCO, NTC	6	7	7
2.	Cat-II	Large Operators	Brain Telecom, Comsats Internet Services, Connect Communications, Cyber Internet Services, Fariya, KK networks, LinkDotNet, Master Communication, Multinet, Nayatel, REDtone, Wateen Telecom, Web Concepts, Wi-Tribe	4	5	5
3.	Cat-III	Medium and LDI Operators	DV Com Data, 4B Gentel, 7 Star telecom, ADG LDI, Aero Communication, Apex Internet, Apollo Telecom, AT & T Global, Circle Net, Cube Xs Weatherly, Dancom, East Tel AJK, Ebone Network, Equant Pakistan, Eureka Net, Evamp & Sanga, FDI Fast Developers, Fiber Beam, Fiber Link, Fiber2home, Future Networks, Galaxy Technology, Gemnet Enterprises, Geo IT, Gerry's, Hajwari Net Zone, Hazara Communication, Helium Communication, IJ Internet Services, Infostructure, Instacom, Khyber Internet Services, Micronet Broadband, Multan Cable and Internet, Multi City Broadband, Nexlinx, Optix , Orient Expressldi, Pak Datacom, Paragon Telecom, Prime Vision Communications , QuBees/Sharp Com, Satcomm, Sharp Tel, Sky Telecom, Smart telecom, Soft Ends AJK, Superior Connections, Supernet Limited, Telecard , Telenex, The Professional Communication, Tufa Telecommunication, Vision Telecom, WanCom, Waylink, Wideband Communication, WiseCom, Zeta Technologies	3	3	3
4.	Cat-IV	Small operators	Rest others…	1	2	2

 

It is imperative to mention here that, as per approved Cyber Security audit criteria, audit firms can perform audit of their respective categories or downward in the hierarchy as per Annexure A. For instance, firms qualifying for Cat-I, can also perform audit of licensees falling under Cat-II to Cat-IV. Similarly, firms qualifying for Cat-II, can also perform audit of Cat-III and Cat-IV, however, firms qualifying for Cat-IV cannot perform audit of licensees upward in the hierarchy i.e. Cat-III to Cat-I.