Have you ever attempted to purchase an item from Muji's online store and had it not work? That just happened. Muji, the Japanese store known for minimalist furniture, apparel and household items, pulls online sales due to a ransomware attack on it's delivery partner Askul.
In conclusion, we’ve seen that ransomware attacks can be extremely damaging, especially to companies like Muji. It’s worth noting that supply chain security is just as important as securing your internal systems. We can all hope that Muji and Askul are able to recover to provide a positive experience for their returning online customers.
What Happened?
Sunday evening in Japan, Muji stated their online services were not functioning. The site would not allow customers to browse items, locate past orders, or successfully use the app. Only a few functions remained: some monthly subscription orders. Muji is reviewing recently placed orders and will notify customers which ones they were not able to fulfill.Who Was Affected?
Askul, owned by Yahoo! Japan, is responsible for shipping Muji products in Japan. Their systems were attacked with ransomware, and they have since not taken orders, shipped orders, or even answered phone calls. Currently, Askul is working to determine if any customer data has been compromised. No hackers have claimed responsibility at this time.What is the Consequence?
The issue is only affecting Japan. Retailers in China, Singapore, Europe, Australia, and North America are functioning normally. Still, it shows that through one cyberattack at a partner, a large retailer could be prevented from smooth operations.Why Does This Matter?
Muji operates over 1,000 stores around the world, employs 24,500 people, and earns approximately $4 billion annually. A business outage, even a brief one, can frustrate customers while delaying other shipments. Japan has recently faced above issues including an attack on Asahi, a large beer company. Attacks against large brands are heightened and hitting the news.What Should Customers Do?
As a consumer, there is little you can do to stop attacks, but you can keep yourself safe. Review order confirmations, use payment application security features, and pay attention to the company when the payment systems are shut down.In conclusion, we’ve seen that ransomware attacks can be extremely damaging, especially to companies like Muji. It’s worth noting that supply chain security is just as important as securing your internal systems. We can all hope that Muji and Askul are able to recover to provide a positive experience for their returning online customers.
