Cyberattack defers Japan Airlines flights

Japan Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, had over 20 domestic flights and some international trips delayed following a cyberattack, which also impacted ticket purchases and luggage services, Kyodo News reports.

Investigation into the incident — which is believed to be a distributed denial-of-service attack that could have a wider impact on its flights — is still underway but JAL disclosed that it has already taken down the potentially breached router.

Such an attack has prompted an immediate call to action from the Japanese government amid the continued deluge of passengers during the year-end holidays.

“Through the transport ministry, we have requested JAL to repair its system as soon as possible to respond appropriately to affected customers,” noted Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.

Operations of All Nippon Airways, which is Japan’s largest air carrier, and other airlines, including Star Flyer, Skymark Airlines, and Solaseed Air, were not affected by the intrusion.