{
  "id": 16289500,
  "title": "Vulnerability in apps behind recent spate of cyberattacks on Japan firms",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/vulnerability-in-apps-behind-recent-spate-of-cyberattacks-on-japan",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-24T06:00:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Mainichi",
    "slug": "the-mainichi",
    "url": "https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20261024/p2g/00m/0bu/012000c"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A recent analysis by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NIICT) suggests that vulnerabilities in smartphone apps may be responsible for a surge in cyberattacks targeting Japanese firms. The institute, under the Communications Ministry, found that apps for Google's Android operating system were primarily targeted, with Apple's apps likely to be attacked next. The institute warns that these vulnerabilities could be exploited by bad actors to gain unauthorized access and leak sensitive information.\n\nThe institute emphasizes the importance of securing server operations and designs, as weaknesses in apps can be easily identified and exploited by malicious actors. Researchers at the NIICT believe that artificial intelligence might be being used to automate these attacks, making them more widespread and difficult to prevent. Several Japanese companies have been affected by data breaches, including the operator of Times Car vehicle-sharing service, East Japan Railway Co., Yamaha Motor Co., and the travel agency H.I.S. Co., which recently reported the leak of customer passport information.",
  "summary": "TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Vulnerabilities found in smartphone apps may be behind the recent spate of cyberattacks against Japanese firms that have led to multi",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Business",
        "title": "Japan to simulate cyberattacks as PHP flaws roil global internet",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/japan-to-simulate-cyberattacks-as-php-flaws-roil-global-internet",
        "published": "2026-10-23T05:16:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Times",
        "title": "Japan to simulate cyberattacks as PHP flaws roil global internet",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/japan-to-simulate-cyberattacks-as-php-flaws-roil-global-internet",
        "published": "2026-10-24T01:05:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}