Share
Japan’s largest brewer, Asahi, has confirmed that personal data may have been compromised during a recent ransomware attack which forced the company to halt beer production across most of its domestic factories.
The severe cyber incident, which struck late last month, disrupted critical internal systems ranging from beer shipments to the company’s central accounting infrastructure.
While all facilities have now partially reopened and restarted production, the technological fallout remains acute. Computer systems are still down, forcing staff to process critical orders using outdated, manual methods like pen, paper and fax machines.
The company has established an Emergency Response Headquarters and is working closely with cybersecurity experts to expedite system recovery.
In a statement released Tuesday, Asahi announced it was diligently investigating the full extent of the impact, focusing specifically on the possibility that personal information may have been subject to unauthorised data transfer.
The company pledged to promptly notify those concerned and take appropriate measures in accordance with personal information protection laws if the investigation confirms a theft. Details regarding the specific type of data potentially stolen remain undisclosed as the matter is under active investigation.
The attack was claimed by the Russia-based ransomware group Qilin, which has a history of targeting major organizations globally, including past attacks linked to the NHS. The group’s successful disruption of Asahi highlights the growing vulnerability of industrial operations to sophisticated digital threats.
The incident’s impact is significant, extending beyond the production line. Asahi has been forced to delay the disclosure of its third-quarter financial results, citing the substantial disruption to its internal accounting systems. This delay is expected to push the disclosure back more than 45 days after the end of the October to December quarter, pending the restoration of its central system.
Asahi was quick to assure stakeholders that the damage was contained geographically; only its systems and operations in Japan – which account for around half of its total sales – have been affected. International brands under the Asahi Group umbrella, such as Peroni, Grolsch, and Pilsner Urquell, have maintained normal operations.
The company apologised for the ongoing difficulties and the significant inconvenience caused to its partners and customers.
Related Posts
Discover more from Tech Digest
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.