Heavy cyber attack on Mitsubishi® Heavy: Targeted by over 50 kinds of computer viruses

Cyber attacks are now getting all the more dangerous as they can target and steal a country’s confidential defense information. The latest center of such attacks is Japan, as its defense contractor, Mitsubishi Heavy, has been hit by a series of cyber attacks this year. This is an alarming situation, as, such attacks can cause a serious and potential threat to Japan’s defense; sensitive information can be stolen and manipulated.

The magnitude of such cyber attacks on Mitsubishi Heavy is really big as 83 computers were affected by more than 50 kinds of viruses, which are significantly more than the eight strains that the company had announced on September 19, this year. The Japanese newspaper ‘Yomiuri Shimbun’ reports that 28 viruses, out of the others, were identified as the ones that could have been prevented with the existing antivirus software. However, the company has declined to comment on the Yomiuri story and the officials were not available for immediate comment on Monday, 10 October, as it was a national holiday in Japan on the occasion of Health and Sports Day.

Japan’s defense minister had announced earlier that there was no indication that sensitive information had been stolen from similar cyber attacks on the firm’s computers last August. However, this time, the ministry wants to take full cyber security measures from such repeated attacks and plans to tell Mitsubishi Heavy to file detailed reports.

Japan is not the only victim here as the U.S. defense contractors also came under such cyber attacks earlier this year. The U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary, William Lynn, claimed that a foreign intelligence agency was responsible for such attacks that stole classified weapon’s information. Even in Japan, the prime source of suspicion points toward foreign cyber criminals. The Yomiuri reported that the attackers might have used Chinese-language script to create the viruses, pointing fingers toward China. However, Beijing has denied any allegation of carrying out cyber attacks on Japan’s government agencies and companies.

This incident is also a wake-up call for important defense companies to develop or use better antivirus programs.

In the meantime, Japan is keeping its fingers crossed and hoping that it can soon find out the culprits who are behind carrying out such cyber attacks to stop sensitive and confidential defense information from going into the wrong hands.