Government emergency measures decided on the 6th to create a “cyber rescue team”

The outline of the government's proposed ``Cyber ​​Security Emergency Measures Package'' was revealed on the 5th in response to a series of leaks of personal information due to cyber attacks. If an organization receives a request for assistance from a victim, it will flexibly dispatch a ``Public-Private Cyber ​​Rescue Team (tentative name)'' made up of specialized personnel from the public and private sectors to support initial response.

The government will hold a ``Cybersecurity Ministerial Meeting'' on the 6th to decide on the package. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference on the 5th, ``We want this to be the starting point for transitioning to a society that has the world's highest level of cyber resilience.''

The summary explains that ``there are many cases where basic countermeasures were not sufficient'' regarding recent information leaks. ``With the advancement of AI (artificial intelligence), we are now in an era where these gaps can be exploited on a large scale in a short period of time,'' he said, emphasizing the need for society as a whole to respond.

The government then enumerated specific measures under four pillars: (1) thorough implementation of basic measures that also utilize AI, (2) strengthened information collection, aggregation, investigation and analysis systems, (3) strategic implementation of responses to cyberattacks, and (4) strengthening of measures to support victims and prevent the spread of damage.

Regarding (1), the government announced that it will launch a ``Top Gun Human Resources Team'' made up of highly specialized personnel within the month, conduct attack tests, and work to strengthen security measures in the public and private sectors. (2) includes the goal of deepening cooperative relationships with cutting-edge AI companies and obtaining vulnerable information as early as possible before it is made public.

Regarding (3), it is clearly stated that active cyber defense, which began full-scale operation in October, will be strategically implemented. A new ``Outreach Team'' (tentative name) has been established within the National Cyber ​​Control Office to contact organizations at risk of being harmed and urge them to take countermeasures. If there is a request for assistance from a victim organization and there is a high degree of urgency, a public-private cyber rescue team will be dispatched. A secretariat will be established within the fiscal year.

In cases where a serious cyberattack occurs, a ``Joint Response Team'' (tentative name) consisting of the Cyber ​​Office, the relevant ministries, the police, the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces will be sent to the victim organization to provide necessary support.