Japan is set to conduct tests on up to 200 million network-connected gadgets for cyber-security lapses ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Cyber security has become significantly more vital as sporting events introduce new technologies, from ticketing to broadcasting.
The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology is due to begin the national sweep from February, checking for potential vulnerabilities in items such as routers, webcams and web-connected home appliances.
Tokyo is looking to boost its cyber security as quickly as possible as 2019-20 is a big year for Japan, as it prepares to host major global events, such as the Rugby World Cup this year, the Group of 20 meetings and the summer Olympic Games.
Researchers will take common but unsafe IDs and passwords often exploited by malware, like “abcd”, “1234” or “admin”, to see if devices are easily accessible by hackers, said institute spokesman Tsutomu Yoshida, according to AFP Relax.
The researchers will survey gadgets with the consent of internet service providers and will mostly examine products that use physical cables to access the internet, he said.
“Too often, we see webcams, for example, that are already being hacked because security settings are too simple and their images are being seen by outsiders. Sometimes they are put on public websites without the owners being aware,” Yoshida told AFP.
“We will see, of roughly 200 million products to be surveyed, how many are being exposed” to risks, Yoshida said.
Major global sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics face an ever-increasing threat from cyber attacks.
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