Japan Banks, Other Firms Take Precautionary Measures over PHP Flaw

Tokyo, Oct. 22 (Jiji Press)--Companies and organizations in Japan have scrambled to take precautionary measures after critical vulnerabilities were detected in the PHP programming language.

Financial institutions temporarily suspended their services on Thursday as a precaution. Japanese megabank MUFG Bank said on its website that it has halted some transactions through its online banking service. Mizuho Bank, also a megabank, and Daiwa Securities Co. have been conducting emergency maintenance.

Among regional banks, Aomori Michinoku Bank, which operates mainly in the northeastern prefecture of Aomori, said that it has stopped some services since Wednesday night, such as an app for individual customers that allows them to check account balances.

Shizuoka Bank disabled its online banking app on Wednesday. The bank, based in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, said it will resume the service once its safety has been confirmed. Other regional banks, such as Yamanashi Chuo Bank, based in the central prefecture of Yamanashi, and San-in Godo Bank, headquartered in the western prefecture of Shimane, also paused some of their services.

The Japan Bankers Association on Thursday confirmed that there has been no impact so far on the online network for fund settlement that connects almost all domestic banks.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]