NTT Docomo Hit by Major DDoS Attack, Disrupting Key Services

NTT Docomo, Japan’s largest mobile network operator, has been the target of a significant Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, causing widespread disruptions to its services.

The attack began on January 2, 2025, and has severely impacted the company’s search site “goo,” its smartphone payment platform “d払い,” and other critical services.

Scope of the Attack and Affected Services

According to the post from HackManac, the DDoS attack overwhelmed NTT Docomo’s servers with massive amounts of traffic, leading to severe network congestion.

Users reported difficulties accessing the “goo” search site and the “OCN” webmail service.

While the smartphone payment service “d払い” faced temporary outages earlier in the day, it has since been restored. However, no timeline for full recovery across all affected services has been provided.

DDoS attacks are designed to flood a target’s infrastructure with excessive traffic, rendering systems inaccessible.

According to cybersecurity experts, such attacks have become increasingly sophisticated and frequent in recent years, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

Potential Links to Ransomware Group

Speculation has arisen that the attack may be linked to the ransomware syndicate “Ransomed.Vc.” This group had previously targeted NTT Docomo in September 2023, attempting to extort $1.015 million while leaking sensitive data on their platform.

Although no direct connection between the current DDoS attack and past incidents has been confirmed, cybersecurity analysts are investigating whether this could be part of a broader supply-chain compromise.

The growing capabilities of botnets—networks of compromised devices used in such attacks—have also raised concerns.

Recent trends indicate that botnets have become significantly more powerful, with some capable of launching attacks exceeding 1 terabit per second.

Response and Mitigation Efforts

NTT Communications, the parent company of NTT Docomo, has deployed advanced DDoS mitigation technologies to stabilize the situation.

Their strategy involves filtering malicious traffic while ensuring legitimate users can access services. However, given the scale of this attack, recovery efforts are ongoing.

This incident highlights the growing threat posed by DDoS attacks in the telecommunications sector.

With a 108% yearly increase in such attacks across Asia-Pacific in 2024 alone, experts warn that companies must enhance their cybersecurity measures to protect against evolving threats.

While NTT Docomo works to restore its services fully, this attack serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in modern digital infrastructure.

Also Read: