GMO refuses ransom, offers 5,000 yen to users after cyberattack

GMO Internet has suffered an unauthorized access incident, with attackers demanding approximately 160 million yen by noon on October 27. The company has refused to pay and will instead provide 5,000 yen compensation to each affected user. The attack targeted server services used for automated FX trading, and login information for trading accounts at securities firms was stolen. GMO's president apologized for delayed responses despite internal safety concerns, while also requesting the government implement "active cyber defense" measures. The government stated that police and Self-Defense Forces can neutralize attack servers regardless of victim requests, but declined to comment on this specific case to avoid revealing response details to attackers.