NHK World-Japan reports the Japanese government will try to hack into internet connected devices in offices and in homes. The hacks will be conducted by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) Starting in February 2019 and could last 5 years.

The survey is part of efforts to improve cybersecurity in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, in 2020, according to a communications ministry official. NICT found that in December 2017 54% of cyber-attacks in Japan we targeted to devices connected to the internet.

During the survey devices such as routers and webcams will be targeted. Once a hack is successful and security is breached the owner will be informed and advised to improve security.

The extraordinary measures are not without controversy. Security professor Harumichi Yuasa said it’s possible that researchers might unintentionally gain access to webcam images or stored data.

This raises a lot of questions. What will the institute do with all the data it collects? It is likely that the newly created big database will be targets by other hackers or abused by the government.