Toei Animation issues a new statement regarding the results of the Ransomware Attack Investigation

A few weeks ago, we learned about an investigation regarding the Ransomware Attack on the Animation Studio, Toei Animation. Now, Toei Animation has stated the results of the Ransomware Attack Investigation and has assured the public that the Company’s regular operations and anime production are more or less functioning normally. The Company also apologized for all of the trouble that was caused due to the attack. Listed below is a timeline of the ransomware attack incident, the investigation, and the results of the investigation:

1. Background
A Company employee downloaded a software required for business from an external website, which had been tampered with so as to simultaneously download a software program that would serve as the entry point for ransomware infiltration.

Gradually, on March 6, the Company confirmed the unauthorized access to its network by a third party.

2. Response and investigation
When the above-mentioned unauthorized access into its network was confirmed, the Company took various measures including immediately shutting down portions of its internal system and restricting access from outside. concerned authorities but also has been carrying out appropriate and necessary responses and investigations by involving external security specialists.

As of today, following the implementation of security measures, all the internal systems of the Company are more or less normalized.

3. Impact
Following the unauthorized access by a third party, portions of the data in the Company’s server and PCs were encrypted after being infected by the ransomware, which resulted in delays in parts of the regular operations and anime production for about a month.

4. Information leakage
The investigation by the external security specialists has not confirmed any information leakage including that of personal information.

The Company also has not received any report on damages to customers, etc.

5. Measures to prevent recurrence
Going forward, the Company plans to educate its employees so as to raise their knowledge of information security and also strengthen the response system to prevent unauthorized access.

The Japan Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (JPCERT) revealed that these types of cyberattacks had become more common against Japanese companies during the pandemic, jumping from 20,000 reports in 2019 to 35,000 in the first 9 months of 2021. In February 2022, Toyota and its supply chain companies were targeted by a similar hack causing production to halt, with March seeing three other high-profile companies attacked.

Toei also told NHK that news of the episodes for One Piece, Digimon Ghost Game, Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai, and Delicious Party Pretty Cure were returning after production was able to be completed despite being slowed down. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero continued to see delays. All anime production is currently slowed down due to internal systems not being fully operational. On April 14th, Toei Animation announced that Dragon Ball Super: Superhero’s new release date, the film would be released on June 11th, 2022.

One Piece, Digimon Ghost Game, and Delicious Party Pretty Cure will be returned on April 17th, while Dragon Quest The Adventure of Dai aired its first new episode in over a month on April 16th. The series’ will resumed streaming on Crunchyroll on the same day at their regular times.

Source: Official Press Release

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