GMO Internet reported that unauthorized access could have affected up to 26,739 cloud servers of the Onamae.com Desktop Cloud service - this is a rental of a remote computer on which the terminal and expert advisors run around the clock. The figure refers to the number of potentially affected server environments, not confirmed hacked accounts or stolen money.
Timeline: On October 19, GMO began an investigation following customer reports; on the 20th it confirmed the installation of malicious software; on the 21st it disclosed the incident and, starting at 4:00 Japan time, began shutting down servers across all plans. On October 22, the company stated that customers were reporting unauthorized transactions on trading accounts, and that logins and passwords stored in the infected environments could have been stolen. The police have been brought into the case.
OANDA Securities Japan: withdrawal requests submitted before 11:00 Tokyo time (5:00 Moscow time) on October 22 will undergo additional verification and will be executed from 11:00 on Friday, October 23; the money should reach bank accounts by approximately 16:00 Tokyo time (10:00 Moscow time). Requests submitted before 11:00 on Friday are processed as usual.
The broker emphasizes: client funds are held separately in accordance with Japanese regulatory requirements, there are no confirmed thefts of deposits, and the delay is due to a security check, not a shortage of money. Withdrawals and changes to bank details there require confirmation via Google Authenticator.
What's next: GMO has not stated the exact number of servers actually compromised, the amount of losses, or a date for restoring the service. OANDA recommends changing portal and terminal passwords, enabling additional authentication, and checking trade history. Separately, unrelated to the attack, the broker is discontinuing MetaTrader 4 from November 27. Those who trade with robots should keep in mind: restoring access to the server does not automatically restore previous settings and risk limits.
Is your terminal on someone else's server?
The morning when you change passwords and check trade history instead of looking at the chart is one you remember for a long time. Prop firms take different approaches to this part: some allow only their own platforms without third-party servers, some prohibit robots entirely, and some build their entire program around automation. The platform, server access, and rules on expert advisors are specified in the challenge terms. Selecting suitable programs based on these points is faster than finding out the restrictions on a live account.