Asahi Breweries Faces Data Breach After Cyber-Attack Halts Production

Sun Oct 19 2025 20:12:34 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A ransomware attack has disrupted operations at Asahi Breweries, leading to potential personal data theft. The company is investigating the incident that forced a halt in beer production across its facilities in Japan.

Asahi Breweries has confirmed that personal data may have been compromised in a recent ransomware attack, disrupting the production at its Japanese facilities. The company has begun an investigation and implemented emergency measures to restore operations using manual processes. The attack, claimed by the Qilin group, adds to a worrying trend of increasing cyber threats faced by major corporations worldwide.

Asahi Breweries, Japan's largest brewer, has reported a potential data breach after a ransomware attack disrupted its operations. The assault led the company to pause production at most of its 30 factories nationwide, affecting everything from beer shipments to accounting systems.

Despite all facilities now partially reopening, operations are still hampered with many orders being processed manually, as computer systems remain inoperative. Asahi announced on Tuesday that it was investigating the theft of personal information during the incident.

The company's Emergency Response Headquarters is collaborating with cybersecurity experts to restore systems as soon as possible, while also assuring that those impacted by the hack will be contacted. The statement noted that there remains a possibility that personal data might have been transferred without authorization.

Asahi confirmed it would notify affected individuals if investigations verify data breach claims and would comply with laws concerning personal data protection.

While details of the data stolen remain unclear, the company has refrained from disclosing specifics as the investigation is ongoing. Asahi, which also owns the Fullers brand in the UK and international labels like Peroni and Grolsch, indicated that only its Japanese operations, representing about half of its sales, were impacted.

In light of the cyber-attack, Asahi has requested leniency regarding the delay in its third-quarter financial results, attributing this postponement to the disruptions caused by the incident.

The Qilin ransomware group, responsible for this and other similar attacks targeting major corporations, has been linked to various breaches in the past, including those affecting public healthcare systems in the UK.

The trend of significant cyber threats to businesses continues to escalate, as highlighted by the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, which reported an alarming average of four significant attacks occurring each week.