Japan urges companies to tighten IT security after AI-exploiting cyberattacks and leaks
In short
Japan's government has asked companies to strengthen their defences against IT system vulnerabilities after a run of data leaks from cyberattacks that exploit artificial intelligence, Kyodo News reported on the 9th. It warned that leaks from unauthorised access could become a business threat serious enough to halt operations. Recent leaks include 6.6 million user records at car-sharing company Times Car (타임즈카), plus incidents at Daiwa Securities and FamilyMart.
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Japan's government has asked domestic companies to strengthen their measures against IT system vulnerabilities after frequent data leaks from cyberattacks that exploit artificial intelligence (AI). Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily and Asia Economy all cited a Kyodo News report from the 9th. The government warned that the recent data leaks caused by unauthorised access could become a business threat serious enough to suspend operations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to the reports, the government asked companies to make cybersecurity a management priority, raise investment in it and set up staff and response systems. It also asked companies that suffer cyberattacks to give information promptly to the National Cybersecurity Office (NCO) or to specialist cybersecurity bodies. Seoul Economic Daily quoted the government as saying that prompt sharing of information was needed to prevent further damage and improve the response. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The same day, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party held a meeting of its national cybersecurity strategy headquarters and called on the government to strengthen the joint public-private response to cyberattacks. Masaaki Taira, the head of the LDP's AI policy headquarters, said the recent leaks from unauthorised access had the character of a "saturation attack", in which AI is used to launch large-scale attacks automatically. He said ways were needed to detect intrusions automatically after an IT system is breached, before sensitive information leaks out, so that damage is kept to a minimum. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The outlets listed a series of recent incidents at major Japanese companies. About 6.6 million users' personal records leaked in a cyberattack on Times Car (타임즈카), which they described as Japan's largest car-sharing company. Daiwa Securities and FamilyMart, which Seoul Economic Daily and Asia Economy described as a convenience store company, have also had data leaks. Yonhap described the affected companies as leaders in their industries. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Japanese security authorities are investigating who is behind the series of large-scale unauthorised access incidents and how they were carried out. Seoul Economic Daily reported that the investigation also covers whether the incidents are connected. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
Japan's government is treating cybersecurity as a management issue for companies, not only a technical one, and is asking them to invest more and report attacks to state bodies quickly. Leaks have hit major companies across several sectors, and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has called for a stronger joint public-private response.
Key facts
- Japan's government asked companies to strengthen measures against IT system vulnerabilities, Kyodo News reported on the 9th. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The government warned that data leaks from unauthorised access could become a business threat that leads to suspended operations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Companies were asked to treat cybersecurity as a management task, increase investment and put staff and response systems in place. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Companies hit by cyberattacks were asked to give information promptly to the National Cybersecurity Office (NCO) or to specialist cybersecurity bodies. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held a meeting of its national cybersecurity strategy headquarters and urged the government to strengthen the joint public-private response to cyberattacks. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- About 6.6 million users' personal records leaked in a cyberattack on Times Car (타임즈카), described as Japan's largest car-sharing company. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Daiwa Securities and FamilyMart have also had data leaks. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Japanese security authorities are investigating who is behind the series of large-scale unauthorised access incidents and how they were carried out. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Kyodo News reported on the 9th that Japan's government asked companies to strengthen measures against IT system vulnerabilities after AI-exploiting cyberattacks and data leaks. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The government asked companies that suffer cyberattacks to give information promptly to the National Cybersecurity Office (NCO) or to specialist cybersecurity bodies. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- LDP AI policy head Masaaki Taira described the recent leaks as having the character of AI-driven automated "saturation attacks". [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- About 6.6 million user records leaked in a cyberattack on Times Car (타임즈카). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Japanese security authorities are investigating who is behind the incidents and how they were carried out. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Who carried out the attacks and how The reports say Japanese security authorities are still investigating.
- Whether the incidents at Times Car, Daiwa Securities and FamilyMart are connected Only Seoul Economic Daily reports that investigators are looking at links between the incidents, and no finding is given.
- Whether AI was used in each of the specific leaks The reports attribute the 'saturation attack' description to an LDP official and do not say AI use has been established in each named case.