EXPLORINEER
en

KR — ZDNet Korea

Joshin President Apologizes Over Possible Leak of 6 Million Personal Records

Security1 min read

Japanese electronics retailer Joshin's president publicly apologized after a hacker may have stolen personal data on more than 6 million customers. The company says it will stop keeping customer information it does not need.

What happened

Joshin, a home appliance store chain based in Osaka, found that an outside party had broken into its customer database server without permission. President Tetsuya Takahashi apologized at the start of a mid-year results briefing, saying he was deeply sorry for the trouble and worry caused. The leak may include names and addresses of customers.

Key numbers and facts

  • More than 6 million personal records may have been leaked.
  • Possibly leaked: 2 images of driver's licenses, 1 My Number card record, and 5 bank account numbers.
  • The illegal access happened around October.
  • The cause of the break-in is still under investigation.

Background

A customer database is a large computer system that stores information about people who sign up as members. When a company keeps more data than it needs, a hack can expose more people. My Number is Japan's national ID number, so a leak of its card information is especially serious.

Why it matters

This case shows how much risk comes from storing too much personal data. Joshin says it learned from the attack and plans to keep only the information it really needs. Local media report that the company has already started deleting unnecessary data. Other businesses may review how long they keep customer records.

What to watch

  • Whether Joshin confirms that data was actually stolen.
  • What the investigation finds about how the hackers got in.
  • Whether affected customers are notified and offered help.
  • How quickly unneeded data is deleted and what new rules the company adopts.

Glossary

database server
A powerful computer that stores and organizes large amounts of information, such as customer records.
My Number card
Japan's official ID card that carries a personal 12-digit number used for taxes and social services.

Ad

Add 150 words. Learn 10 a day.

Dicter word books send only the words you learn to your review notes.

More in this topic

Securityheise online

Lockdown Mode Bypassed: How Calif.io's Latest Exploit Works

Security researcher Stefan Esser of Calif.io says his jailbreak for current iPhones, up to iOS 27.0.1, works even with Lockdown Mode enabled, and that he kept Lockdown Mode on during the demonstration. The exploit uses a bug in the PDF parser, which Lockdown Mode does not block, since the file is opened via Safari or AirDrop and shown in Preview, where MTE memory protection is active only in Lockdown Mode and was bypassed. Esser also says the exploit persists through the update to iOS 27.2, because the bug lies in a part of the system the update does not touch.

SecurityITmedia

Government Warns Businesses After Series of Data Leaks, Citing Multiple Cases of Insufficient Basic Security Measures

Japan's National Cyber Office issued a warning on November 5 to businesses running websites and mobile apps after a series of personal data leaks in the country. The office said it confirmed multiple cases where the leaks appeared to stem from insufficient basic security measures, and it outlined countermeasures covering system operation, design and development, and supply chain risks.

SecurityThe Register

Hospital gave very sick doctor a special PC for his personal, erm, pleasure

In this On Call column, a reader named Mason recounts supporting a hospital research lab run by a prominent organ transplant researcher who repeatedly caused malware infections by visiting adult sites on his office PCs. Management did not discipline him after a worm outbreak; instead, the IT department gave him a designated PC for personal use, and Mason's boss told him to comply or find another job. Mason later learned that the PC was cited as evidence in a lawsuit filed by the doctor's graduate students.

SecurityITmedia

Unauthorized Access Hits Security Awareness Group; Up to 15,000 Personal Records Possibly Leaked

The Japan Network Security Association (JNSA) said a third party gained unauthorized access to its "Information Security Comprehension Check Service," possibly leaking up to 15,128 personal records, including user IDs and hashed passwords. The service has been suspended while JNSA and external specialists investigate the cause and scope; the entry route is not yet known. JNSA plans to notify affected individuals once identified and report to the Personal Information Protection Commission, and warns users to beware of phishing emails that may use the leaked information.