Cyber Attack Strikes Japan Airlines, Communication Disrupted and Flights Delayed

Kapanlagi.com - Japan Airlines (JAL), one of the aviation giants in Japan, recently faced a shocking cyber attack on Thursday morning, December 26, 2024. This incident caused significant disruptions to their internal and external systems, leading to delays in various flights, both domestic and international.

This attack revealed how vulnerable air transportation systems are to increasingly rampant cyber threats. Although JAL quickly implemented mitigation measures, the impact of this incident is still felt by passengers who had to face inconveniences in their travels.

Kapanlagi.com summarizes from various sources, here is the timeline of the cyber attack that occurred, the recovery steps taken by Japan Airlines, and the broader implications for the transportation sector amid rising cybersecurity threats. Let’s delve deeper!

1. Chronology of the Cyber Attack on Japan Airlines

On a bright morning in Tokyo, precisely on December 26, 2024, Japan Airlines was forced to face a cyber attack that shook their communication systems. In an official announcement made through platform X, the airline revealed that since 7:24 AM, they had experienced serious disruptions affecting interactions between internal and external networks.

Shortly thereafter, at 8:56 AM, they discovered that a faulty router was the culprit behind the issue. Although swift action was taken to disable the device, the impact of this incident was already being felt, disrupting the baggage check-in system and ticket sales, leaving passengers in uncertainty.

2. Immediate Impact on Airline Operations

This shocking attack immediately disrupted flight schedules, with several domestic and international flights experiencing delays of over 30 minutes. Although there were no mass cancellations, the uncertainty that ensued caused deep anxiety among passengers.

A JAL spokesperson confirmed that their systems were in the recovery phase, while ticket sales for flights that day were temporarily halted to avoid further disruptions. At Haneda Airport, Tokyo, the atmosphere grew tense as passengers were forced to wait in long lines at the check-in counters due to malfunctioning automated machines.

3. Recovery Efforts and Investigation

After detecting a cyber attack, Japan Airlines promptly took swift action by isolating the affected devices, collaborating with the Metropolitan Police Department to investigate the potential Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack.

They immediately disabled the affected routers and conducted a thorough inspection of the backup systems. The good news is that by the afternoon, JAL announced that their systems had recovered and were in the verification stage to ensure stability.

Meanwhile, police and cyber investigation teams are working hard to uncover the identities of those behind this attack. JAL is also committed to strengthening their network security systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.

4. Cyber Threats in the Transportation Industry

This latest incident highlights how vulnerable the global transportation industry is to the increasing cyber attacks. As seen with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the US in August 2024, where internet access and communication systems were disrupted due to a similar attack.

In Japan, several industry giants such as Toyota and Nagoya Port have also fallen victim to these threats in the past two years. This phenomenon indicates that the transportation and logistics sector is a soft target for cybercriminals.

According to a VOA survey, cyber attacks are now considered the biggest threat by the American public, even more frightening than nuclear threats. This clearly shows how important it is to enhance cyber resilience in this vital sector.

5. Lessons and Prevention Actions

Japan Airlines (JAL) demonstrates a strong commitment to strengthening their security systems and information technology infrastructure, in order to prevent similar incidents in the future and regain customer trust.

Experts recommend that this transportation company regularly conduct cyber attack simulations and periodically update security protocols. Investment in more robust backup systems is also a key focus.

JAL has apologized to passengers for the inconvenience caused and promised to continue providing the latest information. With these measures, JAL is expected to become a role model in enhancing cybersecurity in the aviation industry.

6. What is a DDoS cyber attack?

A DDoS attack is like a tsunami wave crashing into a network system, flooding it with an unstoppable flow of data until access for legitimate users is disrupted.

7. What is the impact of cyber attacks on airlines?

Cyber attacks can cause chaos in the aviation world, ranging from flight schedule delays, disruptions in check-in systems, to disappointing flight cancellations if there are no quick measures to restore the affected systems.

8. What steps did JAL take to address this attack?

JAL immediately took decisive action by disabling the affected devices, conducting a thorough inspection of backup systems, and collaborating with security authorities to investigate this suspicious incident.

(kpl/srr)