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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