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GMO Internet says suspected hackers posted alleged customer data
TechCrunch reports GMO Internet is verifying material posted by a suspected attacker after unauthorized access to its Onamae cloud desktop service, used by financial traders, and has told customers to reset passwords.
- New headline Was: “Japan internet giant GMO says hackers posted stolen customer data”
- Our desk filed its story
GMO Internet is investigating a leak after suspected unauthorized access to its Onamae cloud desktop service, which provides virtualized desktops to financial traders, TechCrunch reported Tuesday, citing the company's blog1.
The Japanese IT and internet services company said it believes an attacker has published information allegedly linked to customers and its business, according to that account1. The contents were still being verified and the full extent of the incident remained unclear, TechCrunch said1.
GMO has advised customers to reset passwords after receiving reports of unauthorized operations on customer trading accounts, the report said1. The company said 27,000 servers may be affected1. A GMO spokesperson did not respond to TechCrunch's request for comment1.
On Oct. 21, GMO shut down Onamae Desktop Cloud after discovering unauthorized access and received an email from hackers demanding about 8 billion yen, about $50 million, TechCrunch reported1. It reported the incident to Japanese police on Oct. 22, said it would offer compensation and alternative service on Oct. 24, and began collecting customer devices on Oct. 25-26 to look for malware1. On Oct. 27 it said a suspected attacker had posted information that appeared linked to the company and its customers and that it was still checking whether the material was genuine1.
The incident comes about a week after GMO's cybersecurity unit separately reported finding evidence that a Chinese AI-enabled penetration testing tool called Artex had been used in hacks targeting companies in Japan, TechCrunch said1. GMO has not publicly established a connection between Artex and the Onamae breach, according to that account1.
A spokesperson for Japan's Financial Services Agency told TechCrunch the regulator issued guidance in May urging financial institutions to prepare for a rise in cybersecurity vulnerabilities, including stronger basic defenses and incident preparedness1.
