Arya News - On July 13, Nichirei detected system failures that affected inbound and outbound operations at refrigerated warehouses. These operations are steadily being restored to normal, according to the company. But a wider impact was felt.
TOKYO – A cyberattack against major frozen food company Nichirei Corp., for which a Russian-based hacking group claimed responsibility, also affected other companies in Japan, highlighting supply-chain vulnerabilities.
On July 13, Nichirei detected system failures that affected inbound and outbound operations at refrigerated warehouses. These operations are steadily being restored to normal, according to the company. But a wider impact was felt.
Kentucky Fried Chicken Japan, Ltd. had shortened its business hours and limited some menu items due to the trouble at Nichirei. KFC Japan announced Wednesday that normal operations had resumed at all outlets.
Major retailer Aeon Co., which reported shortages of items including frozen foods, also announced that shipments had resumed to all its stores across Japan as of Wednesday.
A hacking group called RansomHouse claimed responsibility on a dark website. It claimed to have stolen internal data from Nichirei and released files appearing to contain such data. Messages about the cyberattack written in Russian have been confirmed on a website hackers use to share information.
The Metropolitan Police Department plans to ask Nichirei about the extent of damage.
Distribution networks targeted
“Hacker groups seek out highly profitable sources,” said Nobuo Miwa, president of Tokyo-based cybersecurity firm S&J Corp. “They’re targeting major retail chains with many consumers and business clients because they believe these companies are more likely to respond to ransom payment demands.”
A September 2025 ransomware cyberattack against Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd. forcibly encrypted data stored in locations including servers directly connected to the company’s networks. Asahi had to halt beer orders and shipments, and restoring normal operations took about four months. Qilin, another hacking group believed to be based in Russia, claimed responsibility.
In October, RansomHouse claimed responsibility for a ransomware attack on major office supply retailer Askul Corp. that left the company unable to accept product orders and ship goods to corporate clients. The impacts lasted more than two months.
Cyberattack expert Masakatsu Morii, a professor emeritus at Kobe University, said: “As a supply chain gets larger, it offers more entry points for hackers and increases the chance that the damage inflicted will spread widely. Completely preventing cyberattacks is difficult, but it’s important to prepare by regularly confirming and conducting recovery procedures to be implemented should such a breach occur.”
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