Asahi Investigates Possible Data Theft Following Ransomware Attack Disrupting Production

Japan’s largest brewer, Asahi Group, experienced a ransomware cyber-attack that severely disrupted operations across most of its 30 factories in Japan. The attack halted beer production and crippled critical systems such as shipments and accounting. Although production has now partially resumed, IT systems remain offline, forcing the company to process orders manually. Asahi is actively investigating whether personal information was stolen during the attack and is cooperating with cybersecurity experts to restore systems promptly. The company emphasized it will notify anyone affected by unauthorized data access once the investigation concludes. Asahi Group’s global brands were not affected outside Japan, where the attack hit about half of its sales operations. The breach, claimed by the Russia-based ransomware group Qilin, follows a pattern of cyber threats targeting large organizations worldwide. Asahi also announced a delay in its third-quarter financial results amid ongoing disruption. The incident reflects a broader increase in significant cyber-attacks affecting major companies, underscoring the urgency for enhanced cybersecurity measures.