Vulzsec, a hacktivist collective, has recently announced their plan to target Japanese infrastructure starting from August 28th. Their decision to launch cyber attacks on Japanese organizations is in response to the Japanese government’s controversial move to release melted fuel debris from a nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.
In a message shared on their Telegram channel, Vulzsec expressed their disapproval of the Japanese government and the United Nations. They criticized the lack of coordination with other countries in making the decision to release the waste, highlighting what they perceive to be a “selfish nature” of the Japanese government. The group also questioned the adequacy of the compensation provided by the government, stating that it does not guarantee the replacement of the valuable resources that have been lost.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, located in Fukushima, Japan, faced a catastrophic event in March 2011 when it was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami. The resulting damage caused a significant release of radioactive contamination, forcing local residents to evacuate and halting agricultural and fishing activities in the region.
In the years that followed, Japan made efforts to mitigate the impact of the disasters. However, concerns about the contaminated water stored at the plant have persisted. On April 4, 2011, the plant operators had to release over 10,000 tons of radioactive water into the sea to create more storage space for the highly contaminated water. Investigations revealed that the nuclear accident was largely caused by a lack of safety management by the plant operators.
Despite decommissioning several reactors and implementing measures to control groundwater seepage, the problem of contaminated water storage remained. The government recently announced its plan to release the radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean, which was carried out on August 24, 2023. This decision has sparked outrage among local communities and now hacktivist groups, as it directly affects the livelihoods of those involved in agriculture and fishing. China has also responded by banning the import of seafood from Japan due to concerns over the radioactive waste release.
In the wake of the controversial decision, various hacker groups were discovered discussing and claiming cyber attacks on Japanese organizations. Screenshots shared by the Threat Intelligence firm Cyber Know revealed discussions on Telegram channels about the possibility of launching cyber attacks on Japanese websites. Anonymous Italia Team and Anonymous have also posted tweets with screenshots of allegedly attacked websites of Japanese organizations.
OpTEPCO and OpFukushima are among the other hacktivist groups that have announced their intentions to target Japanese organizations, along with Vulzsec’s OpJapan. Anonymous Italy, in particular, sent a threat to the Japanese government, claiming responsibility for a cyber attack on government websites and other sites associated with the Fukushima facility. Their message highlighted the harmful effects of nuclear waste dumping on the environment and people.
It is important to note that the information provided in this report is based on internal and external research from various sources. The Cyber Express, the publication reporting on these events, does not assume liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.