Japan's AI Cyber Defense: "Inevitable" Against New Threats

Japan plans to use sophisticated AI technology for pre-emptive cyber defense. National Cyber director Yoichi Iida states this is "inevitable" due to concerns over AI-powered cyberattacks. He warns that the time between discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities could drastically shorten. The Claude Mythos model, for example, is highly capable of finding security weaknesses. Anthropic initially restricted access to it due to misuse concerns. This move follows a March decision by the cabinet to implement "active cyber defense" measures starting October 1st. These measures aim to prevent serious cyberattacks that could disrupt critical infrastructure and daily life. Iida emphasized the need for automation in cyber defense while keeping humans in charge of final decisions. He also cautioned against relying on a single AI model, citing how a US export control directive affected security scanning operations. This matters because advanced AI could make future cyberattacks far more sophisticated and intense.