KFC Japan halts online orders after cyberattack hits supplier

A cyberattack on Nichirei Group, a Japanese frozen food and refrigerated logistics company, has disrupted deliveries to KFC Japan and raised the prospect of store closures.

Nichirei said on Monday that it had suffered “system failures caused by unauthorized access.” The outage left the company unable to arrange shipments to and from its refrigerated warehouses or continue some other operations.

Soon after that disclosure, KFC Japan told customers that ingredient deliveries to its stores would likely be affected. The chain stopped accepting orders through its app and website and said it may need to limit menu items and opening hours.

“Some stores may be closed depending on the availability of ingredients.”

On Wednesday, Nichirei confirmed the outage was caused by a cyberattack and said attackers accessed a server containing personal information. The company did not provide further details, saying it was withholding information “to prevent further damage.” It said it hopes to resume operations on Friday.

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The Register noted that Nichirei’s inability to provide some services suggests a ransomware attack may have made data unavailable, though the company has not publicly described the incident that way.

KFC Japan has not posted any update on actual store closures so far. Its customer-facing channels, however, continue promoting seasonal products, including a Japanese-style citrus and chicken combo billed as refreshing in the summer heat.