Japan's Military Secretly Used Chinese Malware-Infected USB Drives for Nearly a Year

JGSDF unknowingly used malware-infected USB drives on classified networks for a year, exposing sensitive data, linked to China-backed hackers.

By Content Team

Jun 26, 2026

ON THIS PAGE

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) unknowingly used malware-infected USB drives on classified military networks for almost a year, according to Nikkei's investigation of leaked internal documents. The counterfeit drives, manufactured in China and sold at suspiciously low prices, were distributed during earthquake relief operations in March 2024.

By the time a soldier in Itami noticed his computer slowing down in February 2025, over 50 machines had connected to the infected drives — nearly half handling classified troop movement data. The malware matches a strain linked to a China-backed hacking group. The JGSDF never disclosed the breach publicly, even as identical drives spread to Japanese factories and research institutions.

Source: Cybersecurity News

Have questions about protecting your software?

Our escrow experts are standing by to help.

Book a free demo

Want more insights like this?