It was discovered that a cyberattack suspected of involving a group of hackers under the direction of the PLA had also attacked local governments such as Gifu Prefecture and TV stations in Osaka.
Both use the same computer management software, and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating that the Chinese side is suspected of trying to steal information after grasping the defect of the software.
From 2016 to 2017, it was revealed that a group of hackers under the direction of the PLA had launched a large-scale cyber attack on about 200 Japanese companies and research institutes, and the Metropolitan Police Department said last month. I sent a document to a Chinese man who had a contract for a rental server under a pseudonym.
So far, it is known that JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and major electronics manufacturers have been attacked by cyber attacks, but several local governments such as Gifu Prefecture and TV stations in Osaka are also being attacked. I learned from the interviews with the people concerned.
In each case, the same software that manages the personal computers in the organization was installed, so NHK interviewed that "information leakage has not been confirmed."
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating that the Chinese side is suspected of trying to steal information not only from companies with the latest technology but also from a wide range of targets in Japan after grasping the defects of the software.
Gifu Prefecture "I want to strengthen the security of information"
Gifu Prefecture has introduced software for managing personal computers used in the prefectural office since 2013.
According to the prefecture, last month the police inquired about the version of the software they were using and reconfirmed that there were no problems.
No information leaks have been confirmed.
Mitsuhiro Hayakawa, chief of the Gifu Prefecture Information Systems Division, said, "I have no idea that the Chinese side will target me, but I feel the threat of cyber attacks again. In the future, even government agencies will further digitize, but the citizens of the prefecture will feel at ease. To that end, I would like to work to strengthen information security. "
Expert "Important measures to minimize damage in the event of an attack"
Hiroki Iwai, who is familiar with cyber security, said, "It seems that the attacking side investigated and analyzed the software used by many major companies and government offices in Japan, and exploited the security flaws. It is seen as a method of selecting a target and invading, and there is a possibility that similar attacks will increase in the future. "
On top of that, "Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated year by year, and it is difficult to prevent 100% of attacks. It is important to take measures to minimize damage in the event of an attack on a daily basis." I'm talking.