Ibaraki Prefecture opens provisional website after cyberattack on SoftBank subsidiary
In short
Ibaraki Prefecture opened a provisional website on October 8 after its website and that of the prefectural police became inaccessible following a cyberattack on a SoftBank subsidiary. The provisional site lists about 30 priority items, such as electronic applications, public facility reservations and disaster-prevention information, and is to be expanded.
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Ibaraki Prefecture opened a provisional version of its website on October 8 after the prefecture's website became inaccessible following a cyberattack on a SoftBank subsidiary. Tokyo Shimbun reported that the prefecture set up the provisional site because there was no prospect yet of restoring the full website. The prefectural police website is also inaccessible. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The provisional site gives priority to information residents need most and shows about 30 items, with more to be added over time. According to the prefecture's information systems division, cited by Mainichi Shimbun, these include an electronic application and notification service shared by the prefectural government and police, public facility reservations, an electronic bidding system and a reservation system for driver's licence renewals. Tokyo Shimbun said the items include administrative service applications and disaster-prevention information, and that some police services, such as lost property, can be reached through the provisional site. Mainichi Shimbun reported that the provisional site uses the same address as before. [ 1 , 2 ]
The prefecture received a total of 73 inquiries about the inaccessible website by 4 p.m. on October 8, Mainichi Shimbun reported. An official in charge said the prefecture was working all out with its contractor toward a full recovery. [ 1 ]
According to Tokyo Shimbun, the outage came to light around 8 a.m. on October 7, when SoftBank, which manages the website, told the prefecture that power to servers in a data center in eastern Japan had gone down around 4 a.m. No document names the SoftBank subsidiary that was attacked or gives a date for full restoration. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
Residents lost access to the prefecture's and the prefectural police's websites, including online application, booking and bidding services; the prefecture received 73 inquiries by 4 p.m. on October 8, according to Mainichi Shimbun. Tokyo Shimbun reported the prefecture opened the provisional site because there was no prospect yet of restoring the full website.
Key facts
- Ibaraki Prefecture opened a provisional website on October 8. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The prefecture's website became inaccessible after a cyberattack on a SoftBank subsidiary. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The prefectural police website is also inaccessible. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The provisional site shows about 30 items and is to be expanded. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Available items include an electronic application and notification service, public facility reservations, an electronic bidding system and a driver's licence renewal reservation system. [ 1 ]
- The prefecture received 73 inquiries about the outage by 4 p.m. on October 8. [ 1 ]
- SoftBank, which manages the website, told the prefecture around 8 a.m. on October 7 that servers in a data center in eastern Japan had lost power around 4 a.m. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Ibaraki Prefecture opened a provisional website on October 8. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The prefecture's website became inaccessible following a cyberattack on a SoftBank subsidiary. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The prefectural police website is also affected. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The provisional site carries about 30 priority items, with more to be added. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- When the full prefectural and police websites will be restored. Tokyo Shimbun reported there was no prospect of recovery; no document gives a date.
- Which SoftBank subsidiary was attacked and how the attack relates to the reported server power loss. No document names the subsidiary, and only Tokyo Shimbun reports the data-center power loss, without linking the two.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- October 7: Servers in a data center in eastern Japan lost power, according to SoftBank as reported by Tokyo Shimbun. [ 2 ]
- October 7: SoftBank informed the prefecture of the server power loss, and the outage came to light. [ 2 ]
- October 8: The prefecture had received 73 inquiries about the inaccessible website. [ 1 ]
- October 8: Mainichi Shimbun reported the opening of the provisional website. [ 1 ]
- October 8: Tokyo Shimbun reported the provisional website and that the cyberattack's effects were continuing. [ 2 ]
- October 8: Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reported the provisional website and continuing effects of the cyberattack. [ 3 ]