Panasonic: February ransomware attack only affected Canada branch

Panasonic this week said a ransomware attack that took place in February only affected its operations in Canada.

A spokesperson for the global tech manufacturer said that in February, Panasonic Canada discovered that the attack affected some of their “systems, processes, and networks.”

“We took immediate action to address the issue with assistance from cybersecurity experts and our service providers. This included identifying the scope of impact, containing the malware, cleaning and restoring servers, rebuilding applications, and communicating rapidly with affected customers and relevant authorities,” a spokesperson told The Record in a statement.

“Since confirming this attack, we have worked diligently to restore operations and understand the impact to customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Our ongoing investigation revealed that this incident only affected our Canadian operations. Our top priority is continuing to work closely with affected parties to fully mitigate any impacts from this incident.”

TechCrunch was first to report Panasonic’s statement on the attack.

Embattled ransomware group Conti added Panasonic Canada to its list of victims on April 5 despite the controversy that swirled around the gang.

In November, Panasonic disclosed a security breach after an unidentified threat actor had gained access to its internal network.

Two Japanese news outlets, Mainichi and NHK, reported at the time that the attackers accessed employee information, customer details, technical data and information on the company’s domestic operations.

The alleged hackers were in Panasonic’s systems from June 22 to November 3.