Ken Uchikura Newsletter Vol. 361 Thumbnail
Corporate Security Measures: Lessons from Recent Ransomware Attacks
In recent years, ransomware attacks have been spreading worldwide. Both in the U.S. and Japan, they have affected all companies, regardless of size or industry, and it’s no longer safe to assume it won’t happen to you.
For instance, in the summer of 2024, a major U.S. airline’s check-in system failed due to a ransomware infection. This incident impeded reservation and boarding procedures and led to thousands of flight cancellations and delays nationwide. Long lines jammed airports and resulted in immense costs and time spent on customer service and compensation processing.
Around the same time in Japan, a ransomware attack hit the Asahi Soft Drinks' factory system, which halted beverage production and shipments. It encrypted the production management servers and caused ripple effects on suppliers and logistic partners, which led to economic loss and a decline in trust.
There are countless other examples: a US medical institution losing access to patient information due to a system shutdown, and a manufacturing company becoming inoperable for several days due to hijacked line control systems. What all these cases remind us of is the reality that it’s impossible to prevent an attack completely.
Cybersecurity is similar to disaster preparedness. Like earthquakes or fires, you can’t say they’ll never happen. That’s why it’s paramount to prepare with the assumption that they’ll happen. By focusing on preparation and training–securing backups, consistency updating systems, educating employees, and creating an emergency response manual–you can minimize the damage.
Many believe that buying expensive security software automatically keeps them safe, but that’s not true.
Without proper management and staff awareness, even the best tools won’t protect you. Another misconception is that these problems only affect large corporations. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often the ones whose recovery is the most difficult after an attack, posing a direct threat to their business continuity.
Even without a large budget, there are many things you can do with smart planning. For example, simply backing up important data regularly to external storage or the cloud can significantly mitigate the damage. Utilizing the cloud also helps reduce hardware purchase costs and lightens operating expenses. This principle holds for large companies with 10,000 employees as well as small companies with just five employees. What matters is not the size, but the level of crisis awareness and preparation.
Incidents will happen. What matters most is how you respond when they do. It’s the management’s responsibility, and the best investment a company can make is to not just feel a sense of crisis but to realistically understand that attacks will happen and continuously implement measures.
Kenichi Uchikura
President / CEO
Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.
ken.uchikura＠pspinc.com
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ABOUT PSPINC
PSPINC (Pacific Software Publishing, Inc.) is a technology company based in Bellevue, Washington, USA. Founded in 1987, PSPINC provides web hosting, email hosting, and other internet-related services to businesses and individuals worldwide.
In addition to its hosting services, PSPINC also offers website design and development, domain registration, and online marketing services. The company has data centers located in the United States and Japan, and it offers multilingual support to its customers.
PSPINC has a strong focus on customer service, and it has received numerous awards and accolades for its quality of service over the years. The company is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest technology and industry trends in order to provide the best possible solutions for its customers.
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