Pro-Russian hackers hit Japan with DDoS attacks over military ties to the US

Date:
Sun, 01 Dec 2024 21:19:00 +0000

Description:
Coordinated DDoS attacks by pro-Russian groups disrupt Japanese logistics and
manufacturing sectors.

FULL STORY

Pro-Russian threat actors have launched a series of coordinated DDoS attacks
against Japanese organizations following Japans recent moves to strengthen 
its military alliance with the United States. 

Distributed Denial of Service ( DDoS ) attacks, which flood networks with
traffic and disrupt operations, have become a go-to method for cybercriminals
and hacktivist groups. 

The attacks, which began in mid-October 2024, have targeted key sectors of
Japan's economy and government, including logistics and manufacturing, as 
well as political entities.

Tensions between Japan and Russia escalate 

The cyberattacks followed recent statements made by Russias Ministry of
Foreign Affairs (MID), which expressed concern over Japan's growing
militarization. Russia highlighted Japan's increased defense budget and its
involvement in joint military exercises with the United States as causes for
alarm. 

Additionally, Japan's development of pre-emptive strike capabilities and
participation in ballistic missile defense research have contributed to 
rising tensions between the two nations. 

On October 11, 2024, three days before the attacks, Russia reiterated its
concerns. In response, two pro-Russian hacktivist groups, NoName057 and the
Russian Cyber Army Team, launched a coordinated DDoS campaign aimed at
disrupting Japanese organizations and infrastructure. 

The cyberattack primarily focused on Japan's logistics and manufacturing
sectors, with a particular emphasis on harbours and shipbuilding. This focus
on infrastructure is consistent with previous campaigns carried out by
NoName057, a group known for targeting critical sectors in geopolitical
conflict zones. 

In addition to industrial targets, the hacktivists also attacked Japanese
governmental and political organizations. Notably, the political party of
Japans newly elected prime minister was one of the high-profile targets,
potentially as an attempt by the attackers to draw attention to their 
actions. 

According to NETSCOUT , the attacks employed multiple direct-path DDoS attack
vectors, with many originating from well-known nuisance networks, cloud
hosting provider infrastructure, and virtual private networks ( VPNs ). The
attackers also utilized the DDoSia botnet to amplify their attacks, thereby
employing different configurations to maximize the impact. 

While these attacks were disruptive, NETSCOUT notes that they have not
significantly altered the overall threat landscape in Japan.

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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/Pro-Russian-hackers-subjected-Japan-to-DDoS-atta
cks-over-military-ties-with-the-US

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