Cyberattack on Casio network results in system failure and G-Shock release delays including GMC-B2100

A news release from Casio Computer Co., Ltd. on October 8, 2024, reported that the company’s network was illegally accessed by a third party on October 5, resulting in a system failure and the inability to provide services.

Casio further stated (translated from Japanese), “We are currently investigating the details, and an external specialist agency is also investigating to confirm whether any personal information or other important information has been leaked. After becoming aware of the unauthorized access, we promptly reported it to the relevant authorities and have implemented measures such as restricting access from outside. We deeply apologize for causing great concern and inconvenience to all those involved.”

According to the ASCII.jp website, Casio then announced on October 9 that it will postpone new G-Shock watch releases due to the hack. These releases include the highly anticipated GMC-B2100AD-2A and GMC-B2100D-1A, which were officially announced on September 30 and originally scheduled for an October 18 release in Japan, with a new release date to be announced when decided. This hack also appears to have affected the announcement and possibly the release date of the second Casio Watch 50th Anniversary limited series which includes the G-Shock GMC-B2100ZE-1A. Other Full Metal G-Shock models that are available for pre-order in Japan and were scheduled for release in October have also reportedly been delayed. It remains to be seen if G-Shock releases in other countries will also be affected.

Update: Casio provided an update at world.casio.com and described the incident as a ransomware attack that may have led to the leaking of personal information (including employees, affiliates, and customers) but stated that credit card information was not leaked.

Update 2: Casio rescheduled the release of the GMC-B2100 series in Japan for October 29. The series was already released by some online retailers in the United States in mid-October, with an official release date of October 25 there.