Otaku Culture

Troubles continue for Kadokawa after failed deal with Russian hackers

The Japanese publisher Kadokawarecognized for its manga, anime and light novel publications, was the victim of a large-scale cyberattack some time ago that put its operations in check. The Russian hacker group Black Suit took responsibility for the attack and demanded a ransom of one million dollars from the company in exchange for not leaking the stolen data. In addition, the group commented on new attacks against Kadokawa if it did not make the payment, thus raising great alarm in the entertainment industry and in this same company.

Russian hacker group demands million-dollar sum from Kadokawa

Ataque cibernético 1 do correio Kadokawa

On June 8th, the servers of Kadokawa Grouplocated in its data center, were the target of a devastating cyber attack that included ransomware mainly affecting Niconico and other related services. The attackers, identified as the hacker group Black Suitmanaged to steal over 1.5 terabytes of confidential information, including business plans and sensitive user details, which could be put up for sale if Kadokawa fails to meet ransom demands.

The Russian hacker group Black Suitknown for its cyber attacks with ransomwarecommunicated to Kyodo News that his attempts to negotiate a ransom of US$ 8 million, equivalent to about 11 billion yen, were not accepted KadokawaAccording to BlackSuit, the ransom demand was rejected by the Japanese publisher, leading to the breakdown of negotiations. Despite the lack of agreement, the hacker group hinted that it still has access to Kadokawa's IT infrastructure and may be planning more attacks in the future.

Even after the system recovers, the company could face similar issues repeatedly, they warned, suggesting a possible continuation of its hostile cyber operations. Kadokawawhich was severely impacted by the attack, suffered significant system failures, including the loss of critical data and the exposure of personal information of employees and customers, the company has been working intensively to restore its systems and mitigate the damage.

Ataque cibernético de correio Kadokawa 2

The threat of a new attack still persists in Kadokawaaccording to Katsuyuki Okamotosecurity specialist at cyber security company Micro TrendOkamoto said that while the hackers’ statements may be a fear-mongering tactic, it is vital that Kadokawa conduct a thorough inspection of its system. That is why the company must prepare for the worst-case scenario by reviewing and strengthening its security measures to prevent future incidents, Okamoto said.

Black Suitwhich began operating in 2023, gained notoriety for its aggressive use of ransomwarea type of malware that encrypts data and demands a ransom for its release, these hacking groups are typically persistent and meticulous in their approach, carrying out continuous attacks until their financial demand is met. Okamoto highlighted that the group carries out the planning, execution and infiltration independently and will not cease its efforts until it obtains payment of the ransom for the stolen data.

The attack on Kadokawa Underscoring the growing threat that sophisticated cybercriminals pose to businesses around the world, this company's situation highlights the growing threat of large-scale cyberattacks and the persistence of sophisticated hacking groups such as Black Suit. As the company works hard to recover its system and strengthen its security, the impact of these attacks highlights the urgent need for more robust protection measures for companies like Kadokawa globally.

Kadokawa It is one of the largest companies in the world, owning a large number of developers and very important franchises in the world of anime and video games, among others, and its popularity is more than recognized. Among them we have two very recognized animes within the isekai genre: Mushoku Tensei and Konosuba!in addition to a game that released its biggest expansion a few months ago, considered one of the best releases of the year, Elden Ring.