Japanese beer giant Asahi confirms it will not pay ransom or engage with hackers behind sophisticated cyberattack disrupting operations since September
TOKYO: Japanese beer giant Asahi confirmed it is not negotiating with hackers behind a ransomware attack that has disrupted operations for nearly three months.
CEO Atsushi Katsuki stated the company would not pay any ransom demand even if one had been received.
“We have not been in touch with the attacker. So we don’t know their specific demand,” he told reporters during a news conference where the company again delayed financial results.
The maker of Asahi Super Dry, one of Japan’s most popular beers, first disclosed the “sophisticated and cunning” cyberattack on September 29.
Katsuki acknowledged the attack exceeded their security preparations despite comprehensive measures being in place.
Russian-based hacker group Qilin has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack according to Japanese media interpretations.
Asahi has postponed both third-quarter and full-year financial results due to the ongoing system disruptions.
The company said it will disclose the hack’s impact on corporate performance once systems are restored and data verified.
Product shipments are gradually resuming as system recovery progresses, though production initially stopped despite factories not being directly affected.
Japanese media reports indicate full system restoration may take until February.
The incident follows similar attacks on other global brands including Jaguar Land Rover and Japanese retailer Muji.
A June survey revealed one-third of Japanese businesses have experienced cyberattacks.
“Japan has always been a little bit complacent in terms of cybersecurity,” said Renata Naurzalieva of business consultancy Intralink.
She expressed hope that high-profile cases would encourage Japanese companies to improve their cybersecurity investments beyond traditional return-on-investment calculations. – AFP
