Suspected Ransomware Attack Hits Asahi, Now Threatening Japan’s Beer Supply

_{Photo credit: umitc / Shutterstock.com}

Japan’s Asahi Group Holdings, one of the country’s largest food and beverage producers, has been hit by a suspected ransomware cyberattack that has paralyzed key operations. 

Asahi is Japan’s largest brewer, and now major retailers in the country, like 7-Eleven, Lawson, and Familymart, are warning that there will likely be shortages of Asahi products.

The company’s systems were hit by a suspected ransomware attack on Monday that affected orders, shipments, and a call center. 

It is not clear when the affected systems will be restored, with Asahi suspending product shipments and orders. Most of the Asahi Group’s factories have been unable to operate this week as a result.

Asahi also owns many major international beer brands, including Pilsner Urquell and Peroni. However, the attack is limited to the company’s operations in Japan, with no personal information leaked.

The company said this week that it is “actively investigating the cause and working to restore operations; however, there is currently no estimated timeline for recovery.”

An Asahi spokeswoman said today that the problem was ongoing, with workers having to manually enter information so the company could make emergency shipments. 

Investigations into the cyberattack’s motives are in progress.