Internet (IoT) devices have a reputation for being insecure, and Japan wants to do something about it. The country just passed a new law that allows the government to hack into citizens' internet devices and compile a list of risks. The official hacking campaign is part of an investigation by employees of the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology (NICT), which is overseen by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Communications. Like many internet hackers, government agencies will try to break into devices using default passwords. It will also use a password dictionary to see if the user has chosen an easily guessable credential. Many people have started using wifi jammer to keep themselves safe online.
Once the list of unsecured devices is compiled, it will be passed on to authorities and internet service providers so customers can be alerted and change their passwords. Testing of more than 200 million IoT devices will begin next month, starting with routers and IP cameras. Both the general public and business users will have their devices probed.
The event will kick off as the 2020 Summer Olympics are about to be held in Tokyo. The government is taking extreme measures to try to secure this avenue of attack amid fears that hackers could use internet equipment to attack the Olympics' IT infrastructure. Fears may be justified; Russia's main intelligence service (GRU) reportedly released malware during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics. It disrupted the internet and broadcast systems and took down the ticketing website for 12 hours.
In January, California will introduce the country's first internet security law, which requires manufacturers to implement "reasonable security features." It mandates that devices come with their own unique passcodes, but many say it doesn't go far enough.
Unsurprisingly, Japanese citizens were so dissatisfied with the government hacking that they felt a notice should be issued about securing their internet devices. In order to protect their Internet privacy and prevent personal information leakage, some people have begun to buy and use wifi jammers.
