Japan to simulate cyberattacks as PHP flaws roil global internet

TOKYO, Oct 23 : Japan plans to establish a team to simulate cyberattacks using AI, aiming to uncover system vulnerabilities as companies scramble to mitigate risks stemming from critical PHP programming language flaws. The disclosure of these vulnerabilities triggered millions of hacking attempts this week, causing numerous government and corporate websites worldwide to go offline.

Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank suspended its emergency alert system on Friday, prohibiting mobile users from receiving earthquake, tsunami, and disaster warnings while the system undergoes PHP vulnerability maintenance. Japanese Industry Minister Ryosei Akazawa emphasized the importance of adopting an attacker's perspective and leveraging AI for proactive defense.

Emergency shutdowns affected banking, airline, rail, tax, and government services across Japan, with major companies like Nomura, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, ANA, and JR East halting some internet services temporarily. The Ministry of Finance, National Tax Agency, and Meteorological Agency also paused online operations. Cybersecurity experts warn that AI enables attackers to automate tasks, making cybercrime more efficient and harder to detect.

PHP developers released fixes for the exposed vulnerabilities on Wednesday, urging immediate updates.