GMO urges Japan to activate active cyber defense after attack

GMO Internet has requested the Japanese government to activate "active cyber defense" following a cyberattack that compromised user financial assets. The request was made on October 24, marking the first such appeal since related laws partially took effect on October 1. The attack targeted the company's "お名前.com デスクトップクラウド" service, potentially affecting 26,739 servers. Unauthorized trades were reported in some users' FX accounts, and attackers have demanded payment while threatening further attacks. The company has refused payment and filed a police complaint. Active cyber defense allows police and Self-Defense Forces to access and neutralize systems used in attacks under legal conditions. However, government action requires meeting statutory requirements, and the request does not guarantee implementation. The system differs from traditional defense by targeting attack infrastructure rather than only protecting affected systems.