GMO Internet Group said servers it provides for automated trading to investors in FX — foreign-exchange margin trading — were illegally accessed, and that users' trading account IDs and passwords may have been stolen.
Some users have reported unauthorized activity on their accounts, according to the company. It has not said how many accounts are affected.
The company disclosed the breach on Friday. It did not say when the intrusion was detected or how the attackers got in, and it has not given a figure for how many customers use the automated trading service.
Automated trading as a target
Automated trading programs place orders for investors through a connection to their brokerage accounts, which means a stolen ID and password can be enough to move money without the account holder touching a screen.
GMO Internet Group has not said whether any trades or transfers were actually made through the compromised accounts.