Japan MoD to Outsource Cyber-security Operations to Private Sector

The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) is planning to outsource part of its cber-security operations to private sector personnel on short term contracts to respond to cyber-attacks.

The ministry is eyeing to increase personnel at its cyber-threat units and will include outsourcing plan in a mid-term defense program from April next year, unnamed sources were quoted as saying by Japan Times Sunday.

The MoD plans to hire contractors to respond to cyber-attacks and work will involve analysing malware and introducing artificial intelligence to interpret attacks. It also plans to allow personnel from private sector to join the Self-Defense Forces on short-term contracts at the cyber-security units to promote personnel exchanges, the sources said.

The move comes amid intense competition with friendly and other nations to develop capabilities that allow them to enter foreign systems while also addressing the growing number of cybersecurity risks Japan faces.