A 15-year-old high school student from Saitama Prefecture was arrested for a cyberattack last year that canceled over 40,000 accounts on the Bandai Channel anime streaming service.
The student used a program created with assistance from the ChatGPT generative AI chatbot to send false information to the servers of Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc. on November 4. This action led to the unauthorized cancellation of 46,812 subscription accounts.
The attack disrupted operations on November 6. The company resumed full service in December after repairs.
Police had previously arrested the student on June 13 on suspicion of unauthorized access. The student admitted to the allegations, stating that he had taught himself about computers since fourth grade and had no grudge against the company.
