Initial Disclosure Date: Aug 24, 2012

On August 23, the National Police Agency released its updated cyber-intelligence report for the first half of FY 2012, announcing that the reported number of phishing emails increased from 225 between January and March to 327 between April and June. Most of 543 phishing emails sent between April and June 2011 tried to convince targets that their attachments are related to the Great East Earthquake. The total number is 1,604 as of August 23rd after the Agency started the statistics in April 2011. About 36 percent of the used malwares connected their targets to China, 11 percent Japan, and nine percent Thailand.

The National Police Agency established the Council to Prevent Unauthorized Communications to Counter Cyber-Intelligence in order to prevent damages caused by targeted cyber attacks on August 23. Yasuhiko Nishimura, Director General, Agency’s Security Bureau, stated at the first meeting in Tokyo on that day, “We want to make our utmost efforts to enhance our country’s security in collaboration between the police and companies.” The members of the Council are ten cybersecurity companies including the Hitachi Systems.

Sources:
Chugoku Shimbun, “Hyotekigata meru 1604 ken Keisatsu-ch, minkan kigyo to Kyogikai secchi [1,604 phishing emails --- the National Police Agency established a council with private companies],” August 23, 2012,
http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/News/Sp201208230133.html
Jiji, “Hyotekigata meru, 552 ken = husei setsuzokusaki ha Chugoku ga saita --- Kyogikai hossoku, Kamihanki Keisatsu-cho [The National Police Agency released the statistics of phishing emails during the first half of FY 2012 --- 552 phishing emails in total and the most of the reported malwares forced targets to get connected to China],” August 23, 2012,
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=soc_30&k=2012082300222
The National Police Agency, “Koho shiryo: saiba interijensu ni kakaru saikin no joho (heisei 24 nen kamihanki) ni tsuite [Press Release: updated information on cyber-intelligence during the first half of FY 2012],” August 23, 2012,
http://www.npa.go.jp/keibi/biki3/20120823kouhou.pdf
Nihon Keizai Shimbun, “Saiba kogeki taisaku de kanmin ga Kyogikai Keisatsu-cho, NTT nado to renkei [The public and private sectors established a council to counter cyber attacks --- the National Police Agency collaborates with private companies including NTT],” August 23, 2012,
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDG22057_T20C12A8CR0000/
Nihon Keizai Shimbun, “Saiba kogeki, yogisha tokutei tekihatsu muzukashiku [Difficult to identify and arrest cyber attackers],” August 23, 2012,
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDG22056_T20C12A8000000/?nbm=DGXNASDG22057_T20C12A8CR0000
Sankei Shimbun, “Joho nusumu hyotekigata meru ga kyuzo husei setsuzokusaki no 36% ga Chugoku [Rapidly increasing phishing emails to steal information --- 36 percent of reported malwares forces targets to get connected to China],” August 23, 2012,
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/affairs/news/120823/crm12082310170004-n1.htm

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