Square Enix has posted a "Notice Regarding Unauthorized Access and Account Management" on "The Lodestone," the official information site for the MMORPG *Final Fantasy XIV*.
The notice was also announced in a post published on October 19, 2026, by the game’s official X account, “FFXIV_NEWS_JP” (@FFXIV_NEWS_JP).
Targeting the Reuse of Credentials Leaked from Third-Party Services
According to the notice, cases have been confirmed where unauthorized logins to Square Enix accounts have occurred using combinations of email addresses/account IDs and passwords believed to have been leaked from other online services.
The announcement states that if you use the same email address, account ID, and password combination for your Square Enix account as you do for other services, you are at a higher risk of unauthorized access. It also explains that even if you do not use the exact same combination as on other services, the risk increases if you have set a password that is easy to guess—such as one containing repeated letters or numbers, or your date of birth.
Affected users are urged to change their passwords immediately, and the announcement includes a link to the Square Enix password reset page.
Protection Through Login Restrictions and One-Time Passwords
For accounts believed to have been compromised, login restrictions have already been imposed on the accounts themselves to prevent further damage. If your login is restricted, an email explaining how to lift the restriction will be sent to your registered email address; users are urged to reset their password and then log in.
The company also recommends implementing one-time passwords. Since these are valid only for a limited time and become invalid after a single use, they are considered an effective measure against spyware such as keyloggers. Free software tokens for smartphones are also reportedly available.
Furthermore, the company has explicitly stated that if unauthorized access continues to increase, it may implement a password reset for all Square Enix accounts.
Cyberattacks believed to utilize generative AI are accelerating these days. “Final Fantasy XIV” is a title that centralizes account management through the Square Enix Account.Given that a single set of credentials leaked through another service can put all in-game characters and items at risk, it is once again essential to make a habit of avoiding the reuse of passwords.
