● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact
Japanese teen arrested for cyberattack on anime streaming service Bandai Channel
Key points
- Teen used ChatGPT to develop a program for attacks.
- Over 46,000 user subscriptions were fraudulently canceled.
- Attack caused a month-long suspension of services.
Arrest of the Suspect
Tokyo police have arrested a 15-year-old high school student for cyberattacks on Bandai Channel, a significant anime streaming service. The boy, who lives near Tokyo, allegedly exploited server vulnerabilities to cancel more than 46,000 user subscriptions.
Details of the Cyberattack
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, the student analyzed the service's network traffic to identify a flaw. He then created a malicious program with assistance from ChatGPT to automate the unauthorized cancellations. The incidents reportedly occurred in November 2025.
Impact on Bandai Channel
The attack prompted a temporary suspension of Bandai Channel, disrupting services for over a month. The streaming service's operator, part of a major Japanese entertainment company, had previously disclosed another cyberattack in 2022 that may have compromised customer data.
Investigation and Findings
The teenager was initially arrested in June for unauthorized access to user accounts. Following further investigation, authorities linked him to more severe impacts on the service. Despite being blocked, he continued his activities by changing his IP address.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
A 15-year-old boy was arrested in Japan for exploiting a flaw in Bandai Channel's servers to fraudulently cancel over 46,000 subscriptions. The incident led to a temporary suspension of the service and underscores vulnerabilities in streaming platforms.