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Cyberattacks against Japan drastically down during Lunar New Year holidays: US cybersecurity firm

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Phishing attacks targeting Japanese companies and individuals dropped by over 70% during China's Lunar New Year holidays in February, according to US cybersecurity firm Proofpoint.
  • The firm analyzed malicious emails appearing to be from major companies like Amazon and Microsoft, noting a significant decrease in volume during the Feb 15-23 holiday period.
  • Proofpoint suggests hackers may observe the Lunar New Year holiday and potentially work on weekdays, resting on weekends, based on attack patterns and the use of Chinese language in the emails.

Cyberattacks against Japan saw a dramatic decrease during China's Lunar New Year holidays, with phishing attempts falling by over 70 percent, a US cybersecurity firm reported. Proofpoint, which analyzed malicious emails sent to its Japanese clients, observed a significant drop in attacks disguised as communications from major firms like Amazon, Microsoft, and PayPay.

During the public holidays in China from February 15 to February 23, the volume of phishing emails plummeted to approximately 350,000 per day. This contrasts sharply with the average of about 1.3 million emails daily in the preceding weeks. The analysis covered emails that mimicked legitimate businesses, aiming to trick recipients into visiting fake websites and divulging sensitive information such as credit card numbers or company client data.

hackers may observe the Lunar New Year as well

— Proofpoint officialThe official commented on the findings suggesting a link between the holiday and reduced attacks.

Proofpoint's findings suggest a potential correlation between the holiday period and reduced cybercriminal activity, leading the firm to speculate that "hackers may observe the Lunar New Year as well." Further analysis revealed that attacks were more frequent on weekdays than on weekends, even after the holidays. "It is highly likely that these hackers work with a set schedule – coming to work on weekdays and resting on weekends and holidays, just like typical corporate employees," stated Yukimi Sota of Proofpoint.

Evidence of Chinese language use in the emails and the timing of their dispatch, often between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Beijing time, further point to a Chinese origin. Experts note that the shared characters between Chinese and Japanese writing systems can make it easier for Chinese hackers to craft phishing emails targeting Japanese users. This systematic reduction in attacks during a major holiday period offers a unique insight into the operational patterns of some cybercriminal groups.

It is highly likely that these hackers work with a set schedule – coming to work on weekdays and resting on weekends and holidays, just like typical corporate employees

— Ms Yukimi SotaSota of Proofpoint explained the observed pattern of attacks occurring more on weekdays.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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