TOKYO, JAPAN: Japan Airlines (JAL) reported a cyberattack on Thursday (Dec 26) that caused delays and system disruptions. By evening, the airline confirmed the issue was resolved and announced that flights would return to normal on Friday (Dec 27), as reported by Connected to India.
JAL shared an update on X, apologising for the inconvenience and assuring passengers that flights would operate as scheduled.
The airline wrote: “[Notice regarding network equipment malfunction as of 19:40]. There was a system malfunction with our network equipment today, but it has now been resolved. As of now, flights for tomorrow, December 27th, are scheduled to operate as normal. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
JAL explained that the problem began on Thursday morning when its network connecting internal and external systems started failing. The airline identified the issue as a cyberattack intended to overload the network with massive data transmissions, causing it to crash or stop responding.
The airline later said that the attack did not involve any virus or any customer data leaks. According to the Associated Press, the cyberattack disrupted 24 domestic flights, delaying them by over 30 minutes.
Such attacks are not uncommon in the aviation sector, which has seen a rise in cybercrimes in recent years. On Dec 11, global commercial law firm Clyde & Co. reported the surge in ransomware attacks and other cyber threats in the aviation industry, noting their potential to disrupt operations significantly.
According to the report, cyberattacks in the aviation industry rose by 131% from 2022 to 2023, with most attacks targeting airspace users.
The Associated Press also reported that experts have repeatedly warned about Japan’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities, especially as the country strengthens its defence and partners with the United States and others with stronger cyber protections. While Japan has made progress, experts say more needs to be done. /TISG
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