Hackers claim to have published GMO client data after ransom refusal — The Japan Times

In Japan, a hacker group said it had published the data of one GMO Internet Group client after the company refused to negotiate a ransom. NHK reported this after the deadline set by the attackers. Before the deadline, GMO urged account holders to back up their data, disconnect their computers from the internet, turn them off and unplug the power cables.

As The Japan Times reports, the attackers demanded about ¥8 billion, or $51 million, from the company. GMO said it would not pay the ransom because this would not guarantee the deletion of stolen personal data or rule out its further unlawful use.

Scale of the incident

Last week, GMO reported a security breach that could potentially have affected 26,739 servers linked to the trading accounts of clients of more than 70 brokerage firms, foreign exchange providers and other businesses in Japan and abroad.

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Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said that servers of five foreign exchange margin trading services had been compromised and that the attacker carried out unauthorized online transactions. These are Goldenway Japan, Oanda, Ava Trade Japan, Gaitame Finest and Dukascopy Japan. These companies have already suspended trading for the relevant account holders.

Compensation and protection

Financial losses among users were also reported: according to preliminary data, some of them lost nearly ¥2 million. GMO promised to compensate affected users for their losses and to pay ¥5,000 to all users.

The company is analyzing the computers of some clients to determine how the attackers penetrated the systems and to prepare countermeasures. Trend Micro and other companies in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are among those involved in the response. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed the government to prepare a cybersecurity package by the end of next week.