Japanese beer giant Asahi has disclosed that a major ransomware attack in September potentially leaked the personal information of more than 1.5 million customers, along with data from hundreds of thousands of employees and their families.
The announcement on Thursday followed a nearly two-month investigation into the attack, which severely disrupted operations, forced factories to halt production, and led to widespread drink shortages across Japan. The incident crippled the company’s systems so profoundly that employees were forced to take orders using pen and paper.
Scope of the Breach and Ongoing Fallout
According to the company’s preliminary findings, the attacker infiltrated a data centre on 29 September, encrypted files, and deployed ransomware. While Asahi stated it has found no evidence the data has been publicly released, the following information is considered at risk of leakage:
- Over 1.52 million customers: Names, gender, addresses, and contact information.
- Approximately 107,000 current and former employees and 168,000 of their family members.
- 114,000 external business contacts.
The company confirmed that credit card details were not compromised and that the attack was contained to systems within Japan, leaving its European brands like Peroni unaffected.
The ransomware group Qilin has claimed responsibility for the hack. Asahi has delayed the release of its full-year financial results to manage the fallout, and its president has publicly apologized as the company works to fully restore its systems and strengthen its cybersecurity defenses.
By James Kisoo
