Cyber ​​attack on Japan Airlines, domestic and international flights affected

Japan Airlines (JAL) has been hit by a major cyber attack, causing widespread disruption to domestic and international flights. The attack took place at 7:30 am local time on Thursday morning, disrupting the entire airline system. Due to this incident, ticket sales have been stopped and a major fault in the company’s system has been confirmed.

What did the airlines say?

Japan Airlines said in its official statement and tweet:

• Problem time:
  • The cyber attack started at 7:24 am.
• Immediate Action:
  • The router causing the interference has been temporarily isolated.
  • The company is currently working on system recovery and troubleshooting.
• Apology to passengers:
  • The airlines have expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to passengers.

impact on flights

• According to NHK report:
  • More than a dozen flights have been affected at many airports in Japan.
  • However, flights have not been canceled on a large scale.
• All Nippon Airways (ANA):
  • Japan Airlines’ rival company ANA said that there was no impact of this cyber attack on their services.

Cyber ​​attacks in Japan: A glimpse of history

This is not the first time that Japan has become a victim of cyber attack.

1. June 2024:
   • Japanese video-sharing platform Niconico was hit by a cyber attack, forcing it to temporarily shut down services.
2. 2022:
   • A cyber attack disrupted the operations of a Toyota supplier, halting production at domestic plants for the day.
3. 24 December 2024:
   • All flights were canceled due to a technical failure with American Airlines’ network hardware.

Growing need for cyber security

The incident underlines the importance of cybersecurity to the global aviation industry and other businesses.

• Critical infrastructure like airlines faces frequent cyber attacks.
• Experts believe that there is a need for strong cyber security protocols and real-time monitoring to prevent such incidents.