Cyber Incident Victim: Yamaha Corporation of America
Date:
Jun 2023
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Yamaha Corporation of America suffered a ransomware attack on its internal network. The incident resulted in a potential data breach of local business partner information. The company responded by promptly disconnecting the affected machines from the network, and its systems are now operating normally. The attack was confined to the US subsidiary, with no impact confirmed on the parent company's domestic Japanese systems.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On or around June 15, 2023, Japan Standard Time, Yamaha Corporation confirmed that its US-based sales subsidiary, Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA), had experienced unauthorized access to its internal network by a third party. The intrusion was identified on that date, leading to the immediate implementation of initial response measures. The specific method of initial access or the exact point of entry into the YCA network was not detailed in the public disclosures. The company's investigation into the event determined that the cause of the unauthorized access was a ransomware attack, a type of malware that typically involves extortion demands. The attackers employed this method to compromise the subsidiary's systems.
Upon discovery of the incident, YCA took swift action to contain the breach. The primary containment measure involved the immediate disconnection of the affected equipment from the network. This action was taken to isolate the compromised systems, prevent the further spread of the ransomware within the network, and halt any ongoing exfiltration of data. Following these containment steps, the disconnected systems were restored to normal operation. YCA confirmed that at the time of the public announcement, its operations had returned to normal and the subsidiary was functioning as usual. The investigation into the full scope and impact of the incident remained ongoing at the time of the disclosure.
A significant consequence of this security breach was the confirmed leakage of information. The investigation determined that data related to local business partners and transactions was potentially exfiltrated. YCA stated that there was a possibility that information pertaining to its business partners in the region had been leaked. The exact volume of data affected, the specific types of records involved, and the complete list of impacted entities were not publicly released, as the detailed investigation was still in progress. The company did not confirm whether any ransom demand was received or paid as part of the attack.
The impact of the incident was geographically contained to the Yamaha Corporation of America subsidiary. Yamaha Corporation conducted an analysis and confirmed that its domestic Japanese systems were unaffected by the attack. There was no identified impact on the networks, operations, or data assets of the parent company or other Yamaha Group entities within Japan. This isolation was attributed to the segmented nature of the corporate networks between the international subsidiary and the headquarters in Japan.
In response to the incident, Yamaha Corporation issued a public apology to its customers and affected business partners for the concern and inconvenience caused. The company pledged to strengthen its security measures across the Yamaha Group as a whole, with a specific focus on preventing the recurrence of such incidents. The financial impact of the breach on the Yamaha Group's performance for the ongoing fiscal period was under review and had not been quantified at the time of the initial public statements. The company committed to continuing its investigation to fully understand the details of the attack and the extent of the data compromise.