Information Security News: Minister defends Japanese "Big Brother" idenity database as hackerproof

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/030824/1/3dmvy.html

August 24, 2003

Japan's home affairs minister attempted to allay privacy fears 
surrounding a nationwide computer network holding sensitive 
information on citizens by challenging hackers to breach its security.

"Please try it hard," Toranosuke Katayama said in a talk show on the 
private Asahi network on Sunday when asked about plans by one local 
authority to attempt to penetrate the system.

The remark came a day before the nationwide computerised system, 
criticised for ushering a "Big Brother" society in Japan, was due to 
expand its service.

Each Japanese citizen is assigned an 11-digit number in the new basic 
resident registry network which contains names, birth dates, gender 
and address and enables local authorities to identify people online 
across the country.

The system was initially launched last year but has been dogged by 
criticism, technical glitches, boycotts and legal acton.



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