Asahi Group Holdings, which has faced system failures following a cyberattack since late September, announced that its ordering and shipping operations—previously handled manually—will resume through its systems starting in December. Although constraints on shippable SKUs and lead times will remain for the time being, the company expects to move toward full normalization sequentially through next spring.
On November 27, President and CEO Atsushi Katsuki and other executives held a press conference to explain the investigation results and future response regarding the incident.
President Katsuki began by apologizing for the inconvenience caused to stakeholders. Noting that many messages of encouragement were received from clients and partners, he stated, “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone for their understanding of our irregular product supply, despite the significant inconvenience we have caused.”
Since the incident occurred on September 29, the company has worked for approximately two months in collaboration with external specialist organizations to contain the ransomware attack and restore systems. The company stated that it has not contacted the attackers nor paid any ransom.
To prevent a recurrence, the company is implementing thorough measures, including the redesign of communication routes and network controls. It also plans to review its backup strategy and Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to ensure rapid recovery in the event of a future emergency.
Through an investigation into data leakage, the company confirmed that data was exfiltrated from some employee PCs. While there is a possibility that personal information within data center servers was also leaked, no evidence has been found of such data being published online.
Ordering and shipping operations, which had been performed manually, will return to system-based processing in December. Asahi Breweries and Asahi Soft Drinks will resume taking orders on the 3rd, with shipments for deliveries starting on the 8th. Asahi Group Foods began taking orders on the 2nd, with shipments for deliveries starting on the 11th.
While the company will not be able to ship all products immediately, it aims to normalize overall logistics operations by returning restricted delivery lead times to normal by February of next year.
“Proud of Our Employees”
President Katsuki reflected, “Through the warm words and occasional reprimands we received from our customers, I truly felt how much our products and services have delivered taste, joy, and connection.”
He added with conviction, “I also realized how reliable our employees are. The fact that we have a timeline for recovery is due to their incredible hard work. It may sound like a cliché, but I felt proud of our staff. It might be an inappropriate way to phrase it, but I have had an experience that makes being a manager truly rewarding.”