by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:30 AM ET, Thu December 26, 2024
Japan Airlines reported it was hit with a cyberattack on the morning of Thursday, December 26, leading to at least a half-hour delay for over twenty domestic flights.
The airline, according to the Associated Press, was able to stop the attack and restore its systems. It doesn’t believe any customer data was leaked. JAL reported the initial attack had delayed 24 domestic flights for over half an hour. Ticket sales were also suspended for a few hours in the morning.
There is currently no information about who orchestrated the attack. It came during a popular holiday travel period for Japanese travelers, who often head back to their hometowns to celebrate the New Year.
AP News has reported that Japan’s cybersecurity infrastructure is below recommended levels, and several cyberattacks in recent years have attested to that: since 2023, the nation’s space agency has been attacked several times, though no critical information was leaked.
Travel companies are ideal targets for hackers and cybercriminals due to their global impact and the wealth of personal information they often store. It’s also the second-highest global industry for suspected fraud, second only to the retail industry.
Back in August of this year, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had delayed around 250 flights due to a suspected cyberattack that caused Internet outages; a few of the flights were even canceled.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
