Teen Arrested in Japan for Cyberattack on Anime Streaming Service
Tokyo police have arrested a 15-year-old high school student suspected of launching a cyberattack against Bandai Channel, a popular subscription-based anime streaming platform. The unnamed teenager, from a city near Tokyo, allegedly exploited a server vulnerability to fraudulently cancel over 46,000 user subscriptions in November 2025.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the suspect identified the flaw by analyzing the service’s network traffic and used ChatGPT to develop a malicious program that automated the attacks. The fraudulent data sent to the company’s servers triggered mass account cancellations, forcing the platform to suspend operations for over a month while repairs were made and refunds issued.
The boy was initially arrested in June 2025 for unauthorized access to another user’s account. Further investigation linked him to the broader attack, which he reportedly carried out by repeatedly changing his IP address after being blocked. Police stated he admitted to the allegations, claiming no personal motive only an interest in programming and network analysis.
Bandai Channel, owned by a major Japanese entertainment company behind globally recognized video game franchises, had previously faced a 2022 cyberattack allegedly tied to the AlphV ransomware group, which may have exposed customer data. The latest incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in digital entertainment platforms.
Source: https://therecord.media/japanese-teen-arrested-over-attack-disrupted-streaming-service
株式会社バンダイナムコエンターテインメント Bandai Namco Entertainment(Japan) cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/bandainamcoent
"id": "BAN1783362277",
"linkid": "bandainamcoent",
"type": "Cyber Attack",
"date": "11/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': '46,000+',
'industry': 'Entertainment',
'location': 'Japan',
'name': 'Bandai Channel',
'type': 'Anime Streaming Platform'}],
'attack_vector': 'Server Vulnerability Exploitation',
'date_detected': '2025-11',
'description': 'A 15-year-old high school student in Japan was arrested for '
'exploiting a server vulnerability to fraudulently cancel over '
'46,000 user subscriptions on Bandai Channel, a popular anime '
'streaming platform. The attack forced the platform to suspend '
'operations for over a month.',
'impact': {'downtime': 'Over a month',
'operational_impact': 'Platform suspension, refunds issued',
'systems_affected': 'Bandai Channel subscription system'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (as of June 2025 arrest)',
'motivation': 'Interest in programming and network analysis',
'post_incident_analysis': {'root_causes': 'Server vulnerability, lack of '
'robust IP blocking mechanisms'},
'references': [{'source': 'Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department'}],
'response': {'containment_measures': 'IP address blocking, server repairs',
'law_enforcement_notified': 'Tokyo Metropolitan Police '
'Department',
'remediation_measures': 'Platform suspension, refunds issued'},
'threat_actor': '15-year-old high school student',
'title': 'Teen Arrested in Japan for Cyberattack on Anime Streaming Service',
'type': 'Unauthorized Access',
'vulnerability_exploited': 'Server flaw identified via network traffic '
'analysis'}