Asahi Blames Ransomware for Crippling Japanese Beer Plants

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. revealed for the first time that cyber-attackers employed ransomware to bring its domestic factories to a standstill, shedding more light on an online breach that’s raised questions about the country’s online-security preparedness.

The maker of Japan’s most popular brew warned that the perpetrators may have made off with data, though it’s investigating the extent of the infiltration. Asahi has succeeded in isolating the system they attacked, and begun taking orders and commenced some shipments manually, it said in a statement. But it couldn’t gauge when full operations will resume.