Cyber Law Passed In Japan Enables Early Threat Response - 1

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Cyber Law Passed In Japan Enables Early Threat Response

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Japan has passed a new law that allows the government to take offensive action against cyberattacks before they cause damage.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Japan passed a law allowing preemptive cyberattacks.
  • Law enables monitoring of foreign traffic entering or passing through Japan.
  • Offensive cyber actions require prior approval and oversight.

The Active Cyberdefense Law, which received parliamentary approval on Friday, will become fully operational by 2027, as reported by The Japan Times (JT). It aims to develop Japanese cyber capabilities that match or surpass those of major Western countries.

Under the new law authorities, including police and Self-Defense Forces (SDF), can conduct pre-emptive server intrusions on systems suspected of cyberattack preparation. The new law allows them to conduct these investigations before any actual attacks occur. Additionally, it also grants authorities the power to monitor foreign internet traffic that passes through Japan.

This law will help Tokyo “‘equal or exceed’ the cyber capabilities ‘of major European countries and the US,’” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, as reported by The Record . He added that it would allow Japan to “identify and respond to cyber attacks more quickly and effectively.”

The Record notes that the move follows a series of high-profile incidents, including a 2023 breach of Japan’s cybersecurity agency that lasted nine months. Reports from 2020 showed Chinese military hackers compromised Japan’s defense networks, in what experts labeled as the nation’s most destructive cyberattack to date.

JT reports that to address privacy concerns, the law strictly limits the data the government can examine. The law blocks personal content, such as email text, while it monitors technical data consisting of IP addresses and attack patterns. A new independent watchdog established under the Cabinet Office will monitor all operations while requiring prior approval for every action.

The officials who misuse data will receive a maximum penalty of four years imprisonment along with a ¥2 million ($13,760) fine, as reported by JT. The law also encourages cooperation with private companies and requires businesses to report cyber incidents and the use of certain communication devices.

Massive SK Telecom Hack Exposes 27 Million Users - 2

Image by Diana den Held, from Unsplash

Massive SK Telecom Hack Exposes 27 Million Users

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

South Korea’s largest telecom provider, SK Telecom, confirmed Monday that around 27 million user records were exposed in a cyberattack that began in 2022.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Malware attack began in June 2022, unnoticed until 2024.
  • Investigators found IMEI data on two compromised servers.
  • No confirmed damage reports, but cloning concerns remain.

Authorities believe the malware used in the breach may be linked to a Chinese hacking group known as Red Menshen, as reported by The Korea Times (KT) .

Officials say that 23 of SK Telecom’s Linux servers were infected with 25 different types of malware. The earliest malware was installed on June 15, 2022, but gaps in the firewall logs mean it’s unclear how much data was stolen before December 2024, as reported by KT.

Authorities are particularly concerned about BPFDoor — a stealthy backdoor malware that experts say is often used for espionage. “That is why we are conducting this investigation with the utmost intensity,” said Ryu Je-myung, deputy minister of the Office of Network Policy, as reported by KH.

Though no damages have been reported so far, the breach raises fears of cloned phones. Ryu said, “According to manufacturers, cloning or creating ‘twin phones’ is fundamentally impossible with leaked 15-digit IMEI data,” as reported by KT.

Experts urge the government to treat the case as more than a data leak. “Framing this solely as a data leak incident misses the bigger picture,” said Lim Jong-in, a cybersecurity adviser to the president, as reported by KT.