Unauthorized access at SmartNews leads to points manipulation and personal data leak
SmartNews said unauthorized access to some of its systems between October 31 and November 1 resulted in manipulation of its points and rewards system. The company suspended or restricted certain features, including points redemption and push notifications, and investigated the impact on account and advertising-related information. This incident is separate from the one announced on October 22, and the company published a notice and apology on November 6 regarding the personal data leak caused by the unauthorized access.
Key facts
- Affected organization
- SmartNews
- Incident type
- Data breach
- Occurred / detected
- 2026-10-31
- Scale of damage
- Suspension of certain features, including points redemption and push notifications, and a personal data leak
- Cause / method
- Unauthorized external access to some systems and manipulation of the points and rewards system
- Location
- Japan
If your data was exposed
- Don’t tap links in texts, calls or emails that mention this incident and offer compensation, refunds or breach checks. Check directly on the organization’s official website or app.
Timeline
- Unauthorized access to some systems resulted in manipulation of the points and rewards system.
- The company announced the suspension of certain features, including points redemption and push notifications, and an investigation into the scope of the impact.
- The company published a notice and apology regarding the personal data leak caused by the unauthorized access.
9 related reports
- SmartNews Suspends Point Redemptions After a Second Intrusion
- SmartNews: points and rewards system intrusion
- セキュリティ上の問題への対応について(続報:2026年11月1日15時時点)
- 〖速報〗あまりニュースになっていないけどSmartNews(スマートニュース)に不正アクセス。アプリでのニュース更新不可、ニュース閲覧も不可
- スマートニュースで再び不正アクセス|ポイント交換停止と確認事項
- SmartNews: Point Exchanges Suspended Following Another Unauthorized Access Incident
- スマートニュースにまた不正アクセス、10日で2度目 ポイントの不正操作で交換停止
- スマートニュースに不正アクセス アプリの一部機能を停止
- 不正アクセスによる個人情報漏えいに関するお詫びとお知らせ|ニュースルーム|スマートニュース株式会社
The summary and key facts are written by AI from related reports and may contain errors. Check the original articles and the organization’s official statements for accurate details.