> JapanHacked_
[Contained][Severity: Major][Malware][Intrusion]

NITS: unauthorized access to its email system through a device vulnerability, and email content may have leaked

An unknown device vulnerability was used to access its email system. Contents of mail sent to it from October 31, 2022 to June 16, 2023 may have leaked.

Disclosed

2024-01-09

Organizations involved

1

Leaked or at risk

Unknown

Downtime

Unknown

What happened

  1. The maintenance operator told it about the vulnerability. [1]

  2. It disconnected the product. [1]

  3. It confirmed unauthorized access. [1]

  4. Staff examined the product and found malware. [1]

  5. It announced the case and is contacting individually the people whose email addresses and other data cannot be ruled out as leaked. [1] [2]

Impact

At risk are the addresses and contents of email sent between October 31, 2022 and 17:00 on June 16, 2023 to the institute's addresses (@nits.go.jp and @ml.nits.go.jp). The cause is thought to be a device vulnerability the manufacturer had not identified, and similar cases exist abroad. No leak or secondary harm from misuse has been confirmed. [1]

Timeline

  1. Started 2022-10-31
  2. Detected 2023-07-05
  3. Disclosed 2024-01-09
  4. 435 days

Attack or cause

Method
[Malware][Intrusion]
Impact
[Data leak]
Entry point
Unknown

Data exposed or at risk

[E-mail address]

Organizations involved

Open in organization search

Sources

  1. [1][Official]電子メール関連システムへの不正アクセスに伴う個人情報等漏洩のおそれについてNational Institute for School Teachers and Staff Development · 2024-01-09
  2. [2][News]教職員支援機構に不正アクセス、メール関連システムに係る機器の脆弱性が原因かScanNetSecurity · 2024-01-12 08:05