The Rapid7 Japan Cyber Threat Landscape Report highlights that Japanese businesses are a significant target for state-sponsored attacks – an increased vulnerability driven by a fragile global economy and increased political and diplomatic tensions.
Along with why Japanese businesses are being increasingly targeted, the report details the Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) of different state-sponsored groups and their common trends, why the Japanese automotive industry and financial services sector are of particular interest to these actors and what can be done to secure Japanese businesses and their subsidiaries.
Rapid7 researchers observed for example that, as of late 2022 and early 2023, LockBit 3.0 ransomware operators were specifically targeting Japanese organisations — particularly Japanese manufacturers.
“Manufacturing organisations have a low tolerance for downtime or any other type of operational disruption and ransomware operators know that makes them vulnerable to extortion,” said Paul Prudhomme, Rapid7 principal security analyst and Japan Cyber Threat Landscape Report author.
“When a Japanese manufacturer’s operations are disrupted, it can have supply chain implications worldwide, as many other manufacturers depend on supplies of Japanese components.”
