GMO apologizes for data leak, execs to take pay cuts

GMO Internet Group CEO Masatoshi Kumagai apologized Monday for a data leak and its impact on customers' assets following unauthorized access to the company's systems. The security lapse, which had been identified over two years prior, resulted in the installation of an unauthorized program in the server environments of certain customers.

At its first press conference since the cyberattack, GMO disclosed that executives, including Kumagai, would be taking pay cuts. The unauthorized access specifically targeted the Onamae.com Desktop Cloud service, utilized by customers for foreign exchange trading. A customer reported suspected unauthorized transactions on October 19, and GMO confirmed on the following day that a third party had gained access to the server environments of some customers.

On October 27, a hacker, believed to be responsible for the intrusion, disclosed some customer information after threatening to release it publicly, unless a $1 million ransom was paid. The released information included names, addresses, and other personal details, although its authenticity remains uncertain.