Asahi Investigates Possible Data Breach After September Cyber Attack
Source: The Drinks Business
Japanese brewing giant Asahi Group Holdings is investigating whether personal information was exposed during the cyber attack that hit the company in September. The brewer said it is still assessing how much data was accessed and who might be affected.
Possible Data Exposure Detected
In its latest update, Asahi confirmed that investigators found signs of “unauthorised data transfer.” The discovery suggests that personal data may have been compromised.
The company first reported the cyber attack on 29 September after a major system failure disrupted operations across Japan. Ordering, shipping, and call centre systems went offline. Asahi temporarily switched to manual order processing, which caused delivery delays and stock shortages nationwide. Within two weeks, six domestic breweries had returned to normal operations.
Investigation and Consumer Protection Measures
Asahi said it continues to examine the full scope of the breach. The company plans to contact anyone affected and follow Japan’s data protection laws.
A spokesperson told The Drinks Business that some of the stolen data appears online. “We have found information that may have been transferred without authorisation,” the spokesperson said. “We are still investigating the affected systems and assessing the damage.”
They added that the company cannot yet share details about the personal data involved. “The investigation is ongoing, so we will provide more information when it is appropriate,” the spokesperson explained.
Financial Results Delayed by System Disruption
The cyber attack also disrupted Asahi’s accounting and finance systems. As a result, the company postponed the release of its third-quarter financial results.
“The incident interrupted access to accounting data, delaying our closing procedures,” the spokesperson said. “We are restoring the system as fast as possible, but we do not have a full recovery timeline yet.”
Asahi plans to publish its financial results once operations return to normal. The attack highlights the growing threat of cybercrime against global beverage producers and the challenges companies face in protecting sensitive data.
