Japan Issues Comprehensive OT Security Guidance for Semiconductor Industry

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has released an extensive operational technology (OT) cybersecurity guide for the semiconductor manufacturing sector. The 130-page document, available in both Japanese and English, outlines detailed strategies for safeguarding production systems and supply chains in one of the world’s most critical industries.

While the guidance is specifically tailored to Japanese semiconductor device manufacturers, it holds global relevance due to its alignment with internationally recognized frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 and Japan’s own Cyber/Physical Security Framework (CPSF).

Context and Motivation

Semiconductors are the backbone of the modern digital economy — essential to everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to defense systems and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Recognizing their economic and national security significance, Japan’s new OT guidance seeks to address the escalating cyber risks posed by both profit-driven criminals and state-sponsored threat actors.

Recent years have seen increased targeting of chipmakers by groups linked to North Korea, China, and other advanced persistent threats (APTs). Such attacks threaten not only intellectual property and production continuity but also the stability of global supply chains.

The document underscores this urgency:

Framework and Structure

The guide integrates international cybersecurity standards with Japan’s CPSF to create a hybrid framework adaptable to OT environments. It includes:

• Reference Architectures: Detailed models of semiconductor production environments and their interdependencies, from design and fabrication to testing and packaging.

• Threat and Risk Assessments: Analysis of vulnerabilities in manufacturing lines, supply chains, and equipment vendors.

• Security Controls: Practical measures for risk reduction across both IT and OT domains.

Key Recommendations

METI’s OT guidance outlines several critical security practices:

1. Asset Management: Maintaining a precise inventory of OT and IT assets to improve visibility and patch management.

2. Vulnerability Assessment: Regular scanning and evaluation of systems and network interfaces.

3. Damage Minimization: Segmentation of networks and isolation of critical components to prevent lateral movement.

4. Continuous Monitoring: Establishing real-time detection and alert mechanisms for anomalies.

5. Incident Response and Recovery: Creating structured playbooks for rapid containment and restoration.

6. Physical Security: Restricting facility and equipment access to authorized personnel only.

Global Significance

This release coincides with NIST’s ongoing development of a CSF 2.0 variant focused on semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, indicating a broader international push to protect the semiconductor supply chain.

METI has also published a 23-page summary of the guidance for rapid adoption. Both documents are freely available in PDF format, making them a valuable resource for any organization seeking to strengthen cyber-physical resilience in high-value manufacturing environments.