Japanese Tech Giant GMO Urges Users to Power Down Computers

Japanese technology giant GMO Internet Group is facing a severe cybersecurity incident. The company has officially urged its users to immediately disconnect their personal computers from the internet, turn off power sources, and unplug cables to prevent the potential activation of ransomware. ## Incident Details and Threats The issue stems from one of the company’s popular services, Onamae Desktop Cloud, which provides virtual servers. Last week, GMO confirmed that the system breach occurred on 20 October. Preliminary investigations suggest that malicious software may have been installed on approximately 26,739 user servers. Hackers are demanding 8 billion yen (approximately $50 million) from the company, but GMO management has categorically refused to pay. Although payment information remains secure, the company warned users that MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 (MT4/MT5) trading account data may have been compromised. Users have been urged to change their passwords immediately and terminate active sessions. ## Company Response and Compensation GMO has begun working with cybersecurity firm Trend Micro to rectify the situation. Although hackers have already leaked some company and user data online, GMO states it does not intend to surrender and will take legal action against anyone who distributes this leaked information. For affected users, the company has set a compensation of 5,000 yen (approximately $30) and is considering additional financial assistance. Furthermore, the company has promised to provide replacements for hardware directly damaged by the cyberattack. ## Current Status At this stage, it appears the attackers have not managed to fully activate ransomware on user devices, though the threat remains real. GMO continues to scan its systems for malicious code. This case serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of cloud services and the importance of constant monitoring, especially regarding trading platforms and financial data. For international users relying on global hosting or virtual servers, this serves as a warning: always maintain data backups and use multi-factor authentication to ensure maximum protection in the event of similar incidents.