Japanese automotive giant Honda Motor Co has confirmed that it is currently in the middle of trying to resolve a cyberattack on its network. The company stated that the online attack on its computers has managed to impact some of its operations worldwide.
Honda mentioned in a statement that the attack had taken place simultaneously throughout its global network. The perpetrators have managed to block their employees' access to some of its computer services, affecting access to emails, web-based services, and other internal systems.
The company added that the cyber attack has disrupted part of its production systems in its facilities outside of Japan. Experts and third-party consultants have apparently already been brought in to help the company minimize the impact of the disruptions and to restore its production and sales activities.
Its manufacturing facilities in the UK, Italy, Turkey, and North America had reportedly been affected, leading to a temporary suspension of operations. Honda stated that the affected sites should go back online within the week.
Honda, which mainly manufactures combustion engine-equipped products such as cars, motorcycles, engines, generators, and lawnmowers, confirmed that the attack was made externally. The company did not state whether it had identified the source of the attack.
As of the moment, Honda's online portals such as its customer services and financial services remain unavailable. Honda apologized to its customers on its official social media channels, stating that it is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Cybersecurity experts have speculated that the cyberattack could be a form of a ransomware attack. This means that the perpetrators are likely looking for financial compensation before allowing Honda to get back access to its own IT systems.
Online security firm Sentinel One revealed that the malicious software used was a type of ransomware called an Ekans ransomware. The virus is designed specifically to attack industrial control systems, hence the temporary halting of parts of Honda's global operations.
Experts believe that the company's systems may have been infected through the use of phishing emails or messages. This method involves tricking users into downloading or opening infected files, which then gives hackers access to specific systems.
Recently, booby-trapped emails and messages using Covid-19 related narratives have been on the rise. Hackers are likely taking advantage of people's heightened anxieties over the pandemic to steal people's information. Honda had claimed that the attack hadn't compromised any of its data and it believes that it should be able to minimize its impact on its business.
