[Pipeline Research] Vulzsec Announces Operation Japan Targeting Japanese Infrastructure
In a recent Telegram message, hacktivist collective Vulzsec criticized the Japanese government and the United Nations for their "selfish nature," following Japan's decision to release nuclear waste into the Pacific Ocean. This new attack coming just days after another hactivist group Nuclear27 defaces numerous government websites.
Despite the Japanese government offering compensation of around $200 million, Vulzsec asserts that this doesn't equate to replacing the affected natural resources. The group announced their plan to launch cyber attacks on Japanese organizations from August 28 to September 5, 2023 and the Pipeline Research team has detected one such attack in the form of a data leakage of an internal database file from e-stat.go.jp a portal site for Japanese Government Statistics.
In the latest wave of cyber-attacks against Japan, the threat actor VulzSec has compromised and leaked data from the Japanese government website e-stat.go.jp. The Pipeline research team discovered the leaked information which appears to be a .sql file sharing datapoints from an internal database.
Vulzsec launchs "OpJapan" Cyber attack
Furthermore, the group has escalated its threats, now targeting Japan's broader communication systems and infrastructure.
Fukushima Daiichi's Controversial History:
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant faced severe consequences from the Great Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011. Resulting radioactive contamination upended lives, with locals evacuated and regional agriculture and fishing activities halted. Amid challenges of managing contaminated water, on April 4, 2011, over 10,000 tons of radioactive water were released into the sea, with another significant release in 2023 that has led to current hacktivist retaliations. An independent investigation in 2012 cited a lack of safety management as the cause of the nuclear accident.
International Repercussions:
In response to the 2023 release, China banned seafood imports from Japan, highlighting concerns over the potential environmental and health impacts.
Hacktivist Retaliation:
Threat Intelligence firm CyberKnow released a screenshot, translating a message from a Chinese threat actor's Telegram channel, discussing potential cyber attacks on Japanese entities. Several hacktivist groups, including Anonymous Italia Team and Anonymous, have claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on Japanese websites. Notable campaigns, alongside Vulzsec's OpJapan, include OpTEPCO and OpFukushima.
Anonymous Italy specifically targeted the Japanese government and entities linked to the Fukushima facility, asserting the detrimental environmental and human impacts of nuclear waste disposal. According to the group, 21 Japanese government websites, including those related to the Fukushima facility, were taken offline as a part of their campaign.
The release of nuclear waste from the Fukushima Daiichi plant has caused international outrage, leading to both political and cyber activist retaliation. The situation underscores the complexity of managing the aftermath of nuclear accidents and the broader implications they can have on international relations, trade, and cybersecurity.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant faced severe consequences from the Great Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March 2011. Resulting radioactive contamination upended lives, with locals evacuated and regional agriculture and fishing activities halted. Amid challenges of managing contaminated water, on April 4, 2011, over 10,000 tons of radioactive water were released into the sea, with another significant release in 2023 that has led to current hacktivist retaliations. An independent investigation in 2012 cited a lack of safety management as the cause of the nuclear accident.
International Repercussions:
In response to the 2023 release, China banned seafood imports from Japan, highlighting concerns over the potential environmental and health impacts.
Hacktivist Retaliation:
Threat Intelligence firm CyberKnow released a screenshot, translating a message from a Chinese threat actor's Telegram channel, discussing potential cyber attacks on Japanese entities. Several hacktivist groups, including Anonymous Italia Team and Anonymous, have claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on Japanese websites. Notable campaigns, alongside Vulzsec's OpJapan, include OpTEPCO and OpFukushima.
Anonymous Italy specifically targeted the Japanese government and entities linked to the Fukushima facility, asserting the detrimental environmental and human impacts of nuclear waste disposal. According to the group, 21 Japanese government websites, including those related to the Fukushima facility, were taken offline as a part of their campaign.
The release of nuclear waste from the Fukushima Daiichi plant has caused international outrage, leading to both political and cyber activist retaliation. The situation underscores the complexity of managing the aftermath of nuclear accidents and the broader implications they can have on international relations, trade, and cybersecurity.
