Japan Will Stage Mock Cyberattacks

freaktheclown writes "Japan is set to start staging mock cyberattacks on various companies as precautionary exercises. According to the article: 'Japan will conduct nationwide exercises next year to prepare effectively for cyberattacks on computer networks. Mock cyberterrorists will simulate attacks on computer networks of businesses and government organizations to discover vulnerable areas, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday. Participants in the exercises will include financial institutions, communications companies and Internet service providers, as well as the central government and local governments.'"

Let the war games begin...

[It doesn't come easy]

If you are developing your own cyberattack techniques, here's your chance to test them while "hiding in plain sight".

Re:Let the war games begin...

[Jerry Coffin]

If you are developing your own cyberattack techniques, here's your chance to test them while "hiding in plain sight".

Doubtful. Though it's not explicitly stated in the original article, for a test like this to be at all meaningful, the attackers and attackees will compare notes very carefully at the end of the test to help the attackees harden their servers against whatever attacks worked. Any other attacks during the test are likely to be examined in even more detail, by more skilled specialists, than usual.

--
The universe is a figment of its own imagination.

Hacked by Japanese?

[billstewart]

Ok, that was somebody else's attack, and it probably wasn't really governmentally sponsored....

On the other hand, the Chinese don't go in for Giant Steam-Powered Mecha Robots, so this could be, like, cool...

Re:Hacked by Japanese?

[arbitraryaardvark]

Perhaps these wargames will settle the age-old question:
Ninjas or pirates?

Radioactive Reptiles?

[Anonymous Coward]

So how many radioactive reptiles does it take to bring down a server?

Re:Radioactive Reptiles?

[Baricom]

I think you've been using Ubuntu waaay too much.

Re:Smokescreen.

[Jerry Coffin]

This is the perfect smokescreen for some 'renegade' Chinese to do some real damage.

Nonsense. Next time you might try RTFA instead of hurrying so much to get in an early post. If you'd read it you'd realize that the intent is to set up mirrors of the real machines, and the scheduled attacks will be against the mirrors. Any attack against the real machine will look just like it always would.

--
The universe is a figment of its own imagination.

Yay Japan. And Thanks...

[blunte]

This is great. I hope we learn something important from observing this, and frankly I'm glad we (US) aren't having to pay for it.

Re:Yay Japan. And Thanks...

[Alpha_Traveller]

Who says we're not paying for it?

A) We're "paying for it" by not simulating our own right away and experiencing it ourselves.
B) We're sitting by while someone else gets experienced hardened professionals out of it while we sit and watch.
C) We're hoping they'll share information with us about the attacks and precautions taken. Do you really think they'll share everything? Hell no.

My presumption is that we've been invited, but you never really know how much the US will be permitted to see or to participate.

Why "Mock"

[Anonymous Coward]

Whenever I need to test my new firewall installation, I just open up an IRC session or post a Usenet post (containing my IP address) saying something like "Hi there, I'm a researcher for Microsoft/SCO/Natalie Portman/George Bush and I've been watching you all and you are all lamers"
Then I just wait for the attack to begin.

(although, when I say I'm working with Natalie Portman, most of the attacks seem to come in on port 79 for some reason...)

Re:Why "Mock"

[aicrules]

While I'm pretty sure you were being sarcastic...you wouldn't want to do this because if this type of attack is successful you may actually lose something.

Re:Why "Mock"

[Lucractius]

i belive quite sincearly in the concept hes mentioning, though hes probably just making a joke. the idea is sound. Posting with intent to provoke a trail by fire is the only way to test something against a REAL threat. mirrors unless their maintained by the same staff as the real ones and all the same connections etc... arent going to provide the same real test these ones will.

And im sure all the bored hackers out there appreciate the providing of a target :) as much as the providor (should) appreciate the

Re:Why "Mock"

[aicrules]

For smaller companies and websites, yes, that's a fine way to test. Especially when you would otherwise not have resources to do so. However, a financial institution would be committing business and legal suicide to allow something like this to happen. If a hacker were successful, that means they compromised security around some VERY sensitive and important information. And once it's compromised...why not steal billions of dollars? Or sell personal information from the accounts you find?

It really doesn't work well for those types of scenarios.

Re:Why "Mock"

[Lucractius]

true i suppose, its fairly clear that this kind of testing is not to be undertaken on something with significant risk of compromise, but if the test is non critical it remains valid no matter how large a company. the best example is MS, they get their code attacked for holes they need to patch constantly. they recently ran a competition of sorts to hack IIS6 under increasingly more opportune circumstances while they contstanly worked to fix and keep it up and unhacked. not sure how that went... should proba

Re:Why "Mock"

[JVert]

He's just testing his firewall installation, its not put into production yet so the attackers can flame away. He just needs to make sure is real hive is not too close to the honeypot.

Re:Why "Mock"

[temojen]

They want to simulate attacks by a skilled and clandestine attacker, not the noisy fumbling of script kiddies, perhaps?

Re:Why "Mock"

[b1t r0t]

Whenever I need to test my new firewall installation, I just open up an IRC session or post a Usenet post (containing my IP address) saying something like "Hi there, I'm a researcher for Microsoft/SCO/Natalie Portman/George Bush and I've been watching you all and you are all lamers" Then I just wait for the attack to begin.

Do you also tell them your IP address is 127.0.0.1? [totalillusions.net]

Re:Why "Mock"

['nother poster]

And many years ago.

Come get some [userfriendly.org]

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Why "Mock"

[jessecurry]

it's the finger port

Re:Why "Mock"

[trick-knee]

> it's the finger port

ew, gross.

Smoking heap of server

[The name is Dave. Ja]

Company: Somebody set up us the bomb
Government: HAHAHAHAHAHA
Company: You killed kenny.somecorp.com.jp! You bastards!

Maybe they're trying to stimulate hardware sales.

--
There are 10 kinds of people in the sig
Smart people like me who understand binary.
Those who don't. ...and 8 others - we'll call them 'undecided'.

all your mock-base

[weighn]

...belong to us

Re:Smoking heap of server

[The name is Dave. Ja]

Yes, Dexter-san.

BUT

kenny.somecorp.co.jp is the REAL server.
kenny.somecorp.com.jp is our cleverly disguised mock server.

You bring dishonour to somecorp. Go to the bukkake lounge to await your punishment.

Hello, I'm about to attack you.

[N8F8]

I wonder if this is your typical test where only the strongest points are tested. Will hackers cold-call targeted businesses pretending to be admins verifying passwords?

Re:Hello, I'm about to attack you.

[Nuttles1]

It was hard to write, It should be hard to read! I suspect you and many other /.ers need to read Steve McConnell's book, Code Complete. It is worth the time!

Re:Hello, I'm about to attack you.

[freedom_india]

Real programmers don't write code !

I think you are joking when you say you don't comment your code.

If you are real, then you must be a rookie fresh out of college to believe this nonsense.

There is a corollary to this proverb. Real programmers write code so beautifully well, they don't need to comment.

MocK?

[redelm]

What is a mock attack? One without deadly payload? How can that be done with cyberattackes when the attack is frequently without payload other than reproduction? Or rather, the volume of the attack is the payload.

These are either full attacks (perhaps cancellable) or they will lead to false confidence (IMHO more an American than a Japanese trait).

Well, ...

[Spy der Mann]

The companies are warned and can make their backups in time.

Anyway, I consider this to be a logical step forward, after all, Japan is one of the countries that have suffered most from earthquakes and Tsunamis, and they surely take the prevention measures against these disasters.

Why should a network attack be any different?

Re:Well, ...

[redelm]

Good point about disaster preparation. But backups are the first preparation in an and all cases.

Re:Well, ...

[stanmann]

Typically when you hire or have on staff penetration testers, they attack to penetrate, not to destroy, so it is a full, albeit not malicious attack. I would assume that the "attack" would also include file creation, user creation, etc.

Re:MocK?

[xgamer04]

It's where all the computers sending DoS packets send them to /dev/null instead of the target.

Re:MocK?

[redelm]

LOL! The target seens -nothing-.

Follow up

[raider_red]

To follow up the mock cyber-attacks, Japan will then undergo a mock giant robot attack, which will be followed by Godzilla drills.

Re:Follow up

[kensai]

They're obviously trying to beef up there new Jig Jaguar defense system.

Re:Follow up

[Prophet of Nixon]

That's the best thing I ever read!

Re:Follow up

[cryptochrome]

This will test the readiness of Japan's angst-ridden teenage boys and scantily-clad schoolgirl assassins.

Re:Follow up

[ptomblin]

No, you're thinking of the Megatokyo attack.

Re:Follow up

[superpulpsicle]

They should also stage a fake riot and hire teenagers to pretend to run away with sony equipment in case the hacker succeed in creating a complete financial meltdown. Let's make it real.

Re:Follow up

[Silverlancer]

WARNING! WARNING! Red alert in Tokyo-3! Angel detected, AT field pattern blue! All personell evacuate to the Geofront! All civilians, head to your designated shelters. This is only a drill.

Re:Follow up

[mewsenews]

hahahaha

We can start now!

[Ced_Ex]

Just post up a link on slashdot to any of the companies needing a test.

Re:tin foil hats? Think not ...

[temojen]

(The fact that Bush said that in June of 2003 and we're just now learning about it is telling.)

You must not have been paying attention. This has been going on for about a decade. Or did you completely miss the fact that Yasser Arafat was president of the Palesinian Authority for several years before his death. Then there were new elections in Palestine, and the Israelis withdrew from the Gaza strip.

If you're suprised, I suggest you pay a little more attention to international news, rather than conspiracy

Re:tin foil hats? Think not ...

[Thud457]

Your tinfoil defense sheild is preventing me from accessing those websites!

Re:tin foil hats? Think not ...

[Politburo]

There is no address tonight. It was at 10 this morning and it was merely a rewrite of Bush's standard terrorism speech.

Tentacle rape?

[hoggoth]

Do these mock attacks include agents dressed as multi-tentacled demons attempting to rape the women?

Re:Tentacle rape?

[Itanshi]

. i really don't appreciate that comment and i think its even off topic, so sorry my mod points expired.

as far as the main topic goes, i never did hear about the results of the lil techno war a month back or so. china through korea agianst japan, can someone enlighten me?

Are you sure it works? Of course! How do you know?

[ngr8]

In my days in big financial services tech hell, I was on the Disaster/Recovery planning committee. If the plan could not be really tested, it was fantasy hoping for good luck.

The test cases weren't only terrorism - just what would happen if we had a steam explosion, the building was sprayed with asbestos, and the NYPD and FD put yellow tape around it.

In Peopleware, Tom DeMarco tells of the job interview... "We need a juggler. Can you juggle?" "I'm great!" "Burning Logs?" "No problem!" "Animals?" "No problem-o!" "You've got the job!" "Don't you want to see me juggle?"

So the idea of something that resembles live-fire testing is a very good idea. Intrusion testing, auditability (even open book audits as in "we're gonna ask you this, uber-geek!")is not perfect; however, I remember speaking with smug black frocked dotcommers who built systems that couldn't scale etc. etc.

Ok. I think I'm gonna get some of that spray-on hair now and sort punch cards. But a test (if not completely lame)is a critical part. If the thing fails, do it again. If it passes the test, make the test harder. Fight dirty when you test - it will make for better results when the stuff hits the fan for real.

Oh, it's very easy...

[Stormwatch]

Just post your targets at Slashdot, and we will simulate a DoS attack.

Cyberattacks, extra wasabe & ginger

[digitaldc]

An increasing number of companies and government offices have experienced cyberattacks. In one such case, kakaku.com, Japan's largest Web site specializing in product comparison information for consumer goods, had to be shut down temporarily after its code had been tampered with. ---------
Sounds like they need to secure their code first, then they can perform mock attacks.
On a side note, Kakaku.com sounds like a pr0n site

how will they find so many XP boxes?

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft sales will likely skyrocket as a result of this test.

In other news

[BushCheney08]

US Will Mock Staged Cyberattacks

Re:In other news

[Egregius]

And in Soviet Russia, cyberattacks mock you!

A public service...

[tktk]

Who needs to stage it? Just post your website here and Slashdot will take care of it.

Cue Laughing Man...

[sesshomaru]

I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes... [sourceforge.net]

Re:Cue Laughing Man...

[vertinox]

I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes... ...or should I?

Re:Cue Laughing Man...

[fbjon]

I never relly understood that one. Was there a meaning to it, or just a random blurb for his logo?

Mock attacks

[SeanDuggan]

In my opinion, mock attacks largely allow people to feel good about their mock defenses.

How to jam cell phone comm

[Rac3r5]

Simple, just send 165+ text messages in less than a minute..

Ha...

[Chris Mattern]

I mock staged cyberattacks...

Chris Mattern

all your networks are belong to us!

[zixel]

Original publication: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20051005TDY01 003.htm [yomiuri.co.jp] They should definitely try social engineering techniques too. There was article [http://www.pacifict.com/Story/%5D [pacifict.com] written by a former Apple catractor that details how he worked on the graphing calculator app for a year without being an employee. Where I work, you just have to mention an employee's name and someone will assume that you work there. Of course I do work at Starbucks, but whatever [not really, I'm mean really not really].

Thousands of fleeing Japanese...

[zwilliams07]

W32.GODZILLA.K@MM!!!!!!!!!!!!

mock time wasting

[ecumenical_40oz]

I am currently staging a mock time-wasting drill in my office. The goal is to find out what would happen if an employee here were to spend all morning looking at slashdot instead of working. Will I be caught? Stay tuned for the results!

That's irony for you

[Xenophon Fenderson,]

When Japan is worried about an "electronic Pearl Habor", you know comedy's a dead art form. Now tragedy, that's funny!

Evil bit obsolete?

[Chris Spencer]

Maybe the government needs to add a "mock evil bit" to TCP/IP, adjacent to the evil bit?

[Note to terrorists: please disregard this message.]

I read this blurp's title as..

[lobsterGun]

Out of the corner of my eye, I could have sworn the title of this blurb was :

"Japan Will Stage Cyber Monkey Attacks"

Oops...

[lildogie]

... sorry, wrong address.

Malicious Advertisement

[St. Arbirix]

Am I the only person who couldn't read the article because a Flash advertisement covered up all the text and refused to be closed when I clicked the little "X" in the top corner?

TPCD (MegaTokyo)

[De Lemming]

I'm not surprised, the Japanese do have experience with officially organized and controlled attacks: Tokyo Police Cataclysm Division [megagear.com].

I must be blind

[MrYotsuya]

Did anyone else read this as "Japan Will Mock Cyberattacks on Stage" at first glance?

I can just picture it:

"Pfft, You call that a cyberattack?"
Next!

In Soviet Union....

[Winlin]

Cyber attacks mock you!

I apologize sincerely

In other news at Columbia U...

[copdk4]

On September 22, Bruce E. Bernstein, President of the New York Software Industry Association (NYSIA), testified in writing to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs during a Hearing on "Examining the Financial Services Industry's Responsibilities and Role in Preventing Identity Theft and Protecting Sensitive Financial Information", mentioning Prof. Malkin project analyzing the security configuration of TLS-protected servers.

Part of the testimony read:

"The most pertinent is a projec