Initial Disclosure Date: Feb 12, 2013

The National Police Agency (NPA) recently reviewed its methodology to deal with cyber crimes which take advantage of online anonymity. On January 16, the agency released the Emergency Program to Deal with Cyber Crimes. The gist of the program is as follows:


1. The improvement of capability

• Outsource lectures on cyber crimes and investigation methodology to private companies
• Send analysts or detectives to information security-related universities in Japan or overseas
• Make a manual on basic ICT and how to deal with online death threats as well as a guidebook on digital forensics
• Provide reward for citizens who report cyber threats
• Conduct undercover operations
• Encourage police officers engage in hacker communities to get cooperation from white hackers
• Research online anonymity-related technologies such as Tor
• Increase analysts and detectives to investigate cyber crimes
• Strengthen the system of the NPA to detect new computer virus and malware
• Upgrade the Real Time Detection Network System

2. Take advantage of private industry’s expertise

• Share information with anti-virus vendors
• Increase information-sharing through the three public-private partnerships
• Encourage private companies to keep logs for a longer period of time
• Expand the Internet Hotline Center
• Clarify the responsibility of website administrators for deleting illegal or malicious postings
• Prevent harms caused by malicious smartphone applications by cooperating with relevant industries
• Ensure private industries check IDs for contacts of data communication cards and at Internet cafes
• Outsource analysis to private companies if such analysis requires specific expertise only available in private companies and they agree to follow our confidentiality rules

3. Promote international cooperation

• Increase information-sharing with overseas
• Send officials to the U.S. NCFTA (National Cyber-Forensics & Training Alliance) to learn about investigation methodologies
• Send liaison officers to major countries to cooperate over cyber crime investigations

Sources:

• NPA, “Saiba hanzai taisho noryoku no kyoka to ni muketa kinkyu puroguramu - iwayuru enkaku sosa uirusu to ni yoru hanzai yokoku jian wo ukete [Emergency Program to strengthen the capability to deal with cyber crimes, following the so-called RAT cases],” January 16, 2013,
  http://www.npa.go.jp/cyber/policy/image/program1.pdf

• * Each company name, an organization name, and a brand name are a trade name of each company and each organization, or a registered trademark.