Asahi Resumes Production After Ransomware Attack Disrupted Japan Operations and Exposed Data
Published
- Production restart: Asahi Breweries has restarted production at its six Japanese plants after a cyberattack caused a week-long operational suspension.
- Operational impact: Core functions, including order processing, shipping, and call centers, were disrupted, resulting in product shortages nationwide in Japan.
- Gradual recovery: Shipments of the popular Super Dry beer have resumed, with other products scheduled to follow.
Asahi Group's subsidiary, Asahi Breweries, announced on Monday that it has restarted production at all six of its beer plants in Japan. The resumption follows a significant operational outage caused by a cyberattack that halted key business systems for a week.
The incident highlights the growing threat of cybersecurity in manufacturing, where system downtime can have a direct impact on production and supply chains.
Beer Production Disruption and Recovery Timeline
According to the company's statement, cited by Reuters and by BBC, production officially resumed on October 2. While the plants are operational, a specific timeline for returning to full production capacity has not been disclosed.
“Upon detecting the incident, we established an Emergency Response Headquarters to investigate the incident, through which we confirmed that our servers were targeted by a ransomware attack,” Asahi Group said on Friday, confirming that investigations revealed a potential “unauthorized transfer of data.”
The Asahi cyberattack forced a suspension of critical operations, including order processing, shipping logistics, and customer service functions. The widespread disruption in beer production led to shortages of Asahi products at restaurants, bars, and retail stores throughout Japan, including 7-Eleven and FamilyMart.
However, it affected only Asahi's operations in Japan, which account for about half its sales. Asahi Group also owns global brands including Peroni, Pilsner Urquell, Fullers, and Grolsch.
Asahi did not mention any negotiations or extortion demands, and no ransomware groups claiming responsibility for the incident have been reported.
Phased Resumption of Shipments
Asahi Breweries is implementing a phased recovery for its product distribution. The company has already resumed shipments of its flagship Super Dry beer, a top seller in the Japanese market that has also gained popularity in Europe and other international markets.
It plans to resume shipments for more than a dozen of its other products by October 15. This gradual approach allows the company to manage recovering inventory levels and stabilize its supply chain following the significant disruption caused by the system outage.
The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile cyberattacks targeting major global companies. In September, a Stellantis (Chrysler) data breach exposed customer information, and a Kering cyberattack, the parent company of world-renowned luxury retail brands Gucci, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen, exposed customer data.
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