NEC Subcontractor Suffers Cyber Attack Leading to Customer System Disruptions and Personal Data Leak

NEC disclosed that a subcontractor handling system development and maintenance was compromised in a cyber attack during late September 2026. Attackers stole legitimate account credentials and used them to access multiple customer environments from the subcontractor's systems. The intrusion resulted in server files being encrypted, rendering customer systems inoperable. Additional files containing personal information and system details were exfiltrated from a shared cloud storage platform used for coordination between NEC, the subcontractor, and customers. Affected customers have been notified individually, with further details on compromised personal data to be provided as they become available. The incident highlights risks associated with third-party vendor access in IT supply chains.

Security NEXTOctober 20, 2026Translated from Japanese

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NEC has confirmed that a subcontractor responsible for system development and maintenance operations was targeted in a cyber attack, resulting in disruptions across multiple customer systems and the leakage of personal information.

According to the company, the breach occurred in late September 2026 when the subcontractor’s legitimate account credentials were stolen and subsequently misused by the attackers. Using these credentials, the threat actors gained access to customer system environments directly from the subcontractor’s terminals.

In the compromised customer environments, files stored on servers were encrypted, leaving the systems in an unusable state. Additionally, files were exfiltrated from a cloud storage service employed for information sharing among NEC, the subcontractor, and affected customers. These files included customer-held personal data as well as system-related information.

NEC has already contacted all impacted customers individually and is coordinating response measures. Further details regarding the specific personal information involved will be reported to customers once they are confirmed.

NEC

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