In an effort to address the growing problem of insecure internet of things (IoT) devices, the Japanese government has approved an amendment to a law that authorizes government employees to assess the scope of the issue by hacking civilian IoT devices. The program is intended to minimize the possibility of threat actors launching a major IoT-related cyberattack during the Tokyo Olympic Games of 2020.
A first hacking trial will be launched next month when workers of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), which falls under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, will go after 200 million webcams and modems using default passwords and dictionary attacks.
Read more: Japan law will allow government to hack civilian IoT devices
