A service for automated FX trading operated by GMO Internet Group was subject to unauthorised access, and security company S&J released a report analysing the attack methods and intrusion route. The hackers are believed to have been in a position where the master key had been stolen.
S&J, a security company, released a report analysing an incident involving unauthorised access to GMO’s service for automated FX trading. The report suggests that high-privilege administrator accounts were targeted and that the hackers may have been left in a position where they had stolen a “master key” that enabled access to multiple servers.
According to the report, the hackers are believed to have used the means available to a legitimate contract holder to gain unauthorised access, using one virtual private server operated by a user of GMO’s Onamae.com Desktop Cloud as a foothold. GMO has also been criticised for failing to implement sufficient technical safeguards as a provider entrusted with customers’ important assets.
This analysis is based on a report released by S&J and has been presented in the context of warnings issued by GMO to prevent a recurrence. Information on specific measures to prevent similar incidents may continue to be disclosed.
Related links also introduce feature pages on cyberattacks and past cases, highlighting cyber risk and security trends in financial services.