Japan denies massive hack on its military computer network

The Japanese government denies reports that hackers have penetrated its military computer network. A Japanese newspaper previously reported that the government learned of the hack in September, which may have been carried out by a state.

Japan’s Kyodo News relies on sources within the Self-Defense Forces. It reports that “organized attackers,” likely a state, have penetrated the military’s internal network. The target was the network that connects the various army bases and is known as the ‘Defense Information Infrastructure’. This network is divided into two parts, one of which has a connection to the Internet. The other part is used for internal communication. Bloomberg reports that the Japanese Ministry of Defense denies the attack, claiming it is receiving more “suspicious emails and other contact” that could be seen as an internet attack.

According to Kyodo News, the hackers entered the network through two institutions, the National Defense Academy and the National Defense Medical College. Both organizations would be connected to the military network. After the attack, the ministry is said to have temporarily denied its staff access to the internet. According to Bloomberg, the attack took place about two and a half years after the Japanese military established its own Internet division. In 2011, a hack on Mitsubishi took place, which revealed that the attackers were targeting ‘defense technology’.