TOKYO — Japan said on Friday it will set up a team to simulate cyberattacks using AI to identify weaknesses in technology systems as organizations scramble to curtail risks from flaws in the PHP programming language that underpins much of the internet.
Government and company websites across the world went offline this week after the disclosure of critical vulnerabilities in the widely used programming language prompted millions of hacking attempts, forcing website operators to rush to protect or temporarily shut down their systems.
Highlighting the extent of the disruption, Japanese mobile carrier SoftBank said on Friday it was suspending its emergency alert system for mobile users. That means customers will not receive early warnings for earthquakes, tsunami alerts or disaster and evacuation information as the system undergoes maintenance to address a PHP vulnerability, SoftBank said.
“An attack can succeed by getting through just one hole … for that reason it’s important we shift our mindset and think from the perspective of the attacker,” Japanese industry minister Ryosei Akazawa said on Friday.
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