Japan Airlines (JAL) experienced significant operational disruptions on Thursday due to a cyberattack, causing delays to over 20 domestic flights just as the peak holiday travel season began.
The trouble reportedly started early Thursday morning when the airline's network, which connects internal and external systems, began malfunctioning. The company quickly recognized the source of the issue as part of a coordinated attack intended to overwhelm its network through massive data transmissions, also known as a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack.
At around 7:24 AM local time, JAL's systems were inundated with unnecessary traffic, prompting the carrier to temporarily shut down affected routers and halt ticket sales for both domestic and international flights scheduled for departure on the same day, according to officials at the airline.
While the airline reported delays of more than 30 minutes for 24 flights, they reassured passengers and stakeholders alike by stating there was no impact on flight safety. JAL worked swiftly to restore their systems, successfully resuming operations after just a few hours of disruption.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi addressed the matter at a regular news conference, stating, “The transport ministry told JAL to hasten efforts to restore the system and to accommodate affected passengers.” Meanwhile, television footage captured the chaos at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with many frustrated passengers congregated at terminals, their journeys interrupted during the peak travel period leading up to the New Year holidays. Millions of people typically travel from urban areas back to their hometowns during this festive time, increasing the pressure on airlines.
Experts have been increasingly vocal about Japan's cybersecurity vulnerabilities, especially as the nation bolsters its defense capabilities and coordinates more closely with the United States and other partners with more advanced cyber defenses. Despite efforts to improve cybersecurity measures, incidents like these highlight the potential gaps still present within Japanese infrastructure.
Earlier this year, Japan's space agency reported it had faced multiple cyberattacks since January 2023. Fortunately, no sensitive information related to rockets, satellites, or defense was compromised during those incidents; investigations are underway to improve preventive measures.
Last year, Japan also faced significant challenges when a cyberattack brought operations at the Port of Nagoya’s container terminal to a halt for three consecutive days.
While JAL was negatively impacted by this recent cyber incident, other Japanese airlines such as ANA Holdings, Skymark, and Starflyer reported no such disruptions. Their operations have largely remained unaffected, allowing them to serve passengers without major delays.
The attack on JAL's systems follows closely on the heels of another occurrence where American Airlines grounded all flights briefly during Christmas Eve due to unrelated technical issues involving their network hardware, showcasing the fragility of operational systems reliant on technology.
Going forward, Japan's transportation industry is likely to remain vigilant as it emerges from the holiday season and prepares for the following year. The cyber threat remains ever-present, and continued investment and improvements to cybersecurity will be imperative to safeguard travel infrastructure and protect against future incidents.
