"White hat" hackers who spot security vulnerabilities may be one of the most sought-after professions today as Japan's tech firms struggle to cope with the rising threat of cyberattacks.

White hats are tasked with guarding computer networks against "black hats," the malicious hackers who infiltrate computer systems to steal or destroy data.

To strengthen education on cybersecurity and train ethical hackers, state-run Chiba University has launched a bug-hunting contest among its students.