Google officially opened a new cybersecurity center in Japan on Thursday , aiming to strengthen its presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
The region is facing increasing cyber threats from a variety of actors, including criminal gangs seeking large ransoms, as well as state-backed actors extorting information or infiltrating systems, according to reports from governments and cybersecurity firms.
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These attacks target not only governments and militaries, but also critical infrastructure, such as ports and businesses of all kinds.
"We are officially launching Japan's Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, aiming to connect leading security experts, researchers and partners," Google said in a statement.
The center will conduct cybersecurity research in collaboration with universities and governments in Japan and other regions.
The tech giant will also help strengthen cybersecurity for 300,000 small and medium-sized businesses, non-profits and other social organizations in the region, Google's Kazuya Okubo said.
In October, Google warned that the region had suffered more cyberattacks than any other place.
Beyond large-scale fraud and ransomware attacks by hacking gangs, the United States and its allies in the region, including Australia, have accused China and gangs linked to Beijing of cyberattacks.
In September of last year, Japan's National Police Agency worked with its American partners, including the FBI, to warn of widespread malware by Chinese-linked cyber actors known as BlackTech.
BlackTech has focused on sectors such as government, industry, technology, media, electronics and telecommunications, including entities supporting the US and Japanese military, the NPA said in a joint statement.
The United States government has stated that China represents "the broadest, most active, and most persistent cyber espionage threat.".
See also: CrowdStrike shares rise on increased demand for cybersecurity
For its part, Beijing describes the United States as the "world's largest hacking ," citing its widely documented actions in cyberattacks, online surveillance, and hacking.
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Source: france24
