Japan to Launch White-Hat Hacker Team to Counter Cyberattacks

Minister Akazawa warns attackers may be using AI to probe for weaknesses, and defenders must respond in kind as incidents mount across Japan.

Japan will establish a white-hat hacker team to combat cyberattacks, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa announced on October 23, amid a growing number of cyber incidents affecting businesses across the country.

The minister also addressed a serious vulnerability recently found in PHP, a widely used programming language. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) issued an alert through roughly 1,000 industry groups under its jurisdiction. It also asked the Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA) to urge companies to apply the fix promptly.

Speaking at a press conference following a Cabinet meeting, Akazawa said the team would be launched in November. It will bring together cybersecurity experts skilled in both offensive hacking techniques and defensive measures.

The team will operate under the IPA, an independent administrative agency overseen by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry METI and other government ministries.

Identifying Security Vulnerabilities

The new team will regularly assess the systems of companies and other organizations for security vulnerabilities, using its findings to develop countermeasures against potential attacks.

Citing recent cases of unauthorized access, Akazawa warned of the growing role of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks.

"Attackers may be using AI to identify vulnerabilities across a wide range of systems," he said.

Akazawa stressed that cybersecurity defenders must also harness AI to stay ahead of emerging threats.

"Those on the defensive side must also use AI to anticipate and proactively counter threats," he said.

RELATED:

Cyberattacks Spur Japan's Breakthrough Ransomware Tool

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: The Sankei Shimbun