The National Police Agency said on November 4 that it had "neutralized" servers and other equipment that had been used to launch cyberattacks through ordinary households' internet connections, without the owners knowing. The agency worked with Google on the operation.
Under the scheme, devices in people's homes were made to carry out attacks from connections whose owners had no idea their lines were being used. The agency did not say how many devices were involved or where they were located.
The announcement came as cyberattacks on companies continue. HYBE, the South Korean agency behind BTS, said it had been hacked and that some personal information had leaked, and apologized.
In Nagano Prefecture, the prefectural government opened a special consultation desk for businesses hit by such attacks. Nagasaki Prefecture Police and the prefectural government called on companies to strengthen passwords after a leak of corporate personal information.