Japanese firms reimburse users after cyberattacks hit services and economy
Japanese companies are compensating users after a wave of cyberattacks disrupted digital services and raised concerns about economic stability. GMO Internet Group will fully reimburse customers for financial losses from unauthorized access and pay a 5,000 yen goodwill payout to each affected user. The hackers behind the breach demanded $50 million in cryptocurrency, threatening to leak corporate records and customer data, but GMO rejected the extortion and is coordinating with law enforcement. The company also plans to offer a complimentary six-month alternative service, while its CEO admitted internal remediation was too slow to prevent the intrusion. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced an emergency counter-cyberattack package by next week, including a unit to simulate AI-driven attacks on networks. The initiative follows global exploitation of PHP software vulnerabilities, and GMO’s CEO urged Tokyo to adopt aggressive measures under its new cyberdefense framework.