Operations at Japanese Plant Halted Following Ransomware Outbreak
One month after the SMB-targeting WannaCry worm outbreak began spreading globally, Honda discovered fresh infections at multiple facilities, and was forced to temporarily idle one plant as a result of the ransomware.
Honda Motor says it temporarily idled production at a Japanese vehicle plant this week after discovering systems infected with WannaCry, aka WannaCrypt.
On Sunday evening, “Honda discovered that the computer systems in several plants across the world were affected by the ransomware virus Wannacry,” a spokesman tells Information Security Media Group.
As a result of the WannaCry outbreak, the automaker shut down production at its Sayama automobile assembly plant, located about 25 miles northwest of Tokyo. The plant produces about 1,000 Honda and Acura vehicles per day, including such models as the Accord and Legend, as well as the Odyssey and Step Wagon minivans.
Honda tells Reuters that despite proactive efforts to protect the automaker’s network against the ransomware, following the May outbreak, it suffered fresh WannaCry infections at plants not just in Japan, but also North America, Europe, China and other regions.
The Sayama plant – the only one to be idled as a result of WannaCry – resumed operations Tuesday morning, Honda says. “At this moment, there is no further impact confirmed, but we will continue to monitor the situation and take every step to further strengthen the security of our systems,” the spokesman says.
WannaCry Outbreak
The automaker’s announcement comes more than five weeks after the WannaCry outbreak began May 12.
