Muji, a Japanese retailer specializing in clothing and homeware, suffered severe operational disruptions after its third-party logistics partner, Askul, was hit by a ransomware attack. The attack crippled Muji’s digital infrastructure, halting online browsing, purchases, order history access via the Muji app, and web content display. Askul confirmed a system outage, suspending order processing and shipping operations while investigating potential leaks of personal and customer data, including names, addresses, emails, and financial details posing risks of identity theft and fraud. The incident underscores vulnerabilities in third-party supply chains, as Askul’s compromise directly impacted Muji’s Japanese operations, though global branches remained unaffected. The attack aligns with a rising trend of ransomware targeting retailers and manufacturers through less-secured vendors, disrupting business continuity and exposing sensitive data. While the full scope of data exposure is under investigation, the operational halt and potential customer data breach signal significant reputational and financial risks for Muji, compounded by the growing threat of supply-chain cyberattacks in the retail sector.
Source: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/muji-halts-online-sales-after-ransomware-attack-on-supplier
TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/muji
"id": "muj3592035102125",
"linkid": "muji",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "10/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization's existence"{'affected_entities': [{'industry': ['Clothing', 'Homeware', 'Ecommerce'],
'location': 'Japan',
'name': 'Muji (Japan)',
'type': 'Retailer'},
{'industry': 'Ecommerce Logistics',
'location': 'Japan',
'name': 'Askul Corporation',
'type': 'Logistics Partner'}],
'attack_vector': ['Third-Party Vendor (Askul)', 'Ecommerce Logistics System'],
'customer_advisories': ['Muji app/website outage notices',
'Pending data breach notification if PII exposed'],
'data_breach': {'data_encryption': ['Likely (Ransomware Encryption)'],
'data_exfiltration': ['Under Investigation'],
'personally_identifiable_information': ['Names',
'Addresses',
'Email Addresses'],
'sensitivity_of_data': ['High (if PII/financial data '
'exposed)'],
'type_of_data_compromised': ['Potentially: PII (Names, '
'Addresses, Emails)',
'Financial Data']},
'description': 'Japanese retailer Muji experienced operational disruptions '
'after its logistics partner, Askul, was targeted in a '
"ransomware attack. The incident impacted Muji's online "
'services, including browsing, purchases, order histories via '
'the Muji app, and web content display. Askul confirmed a '
'system outage, halting order acceptance and shipping '
'operations. The investigation into potential leaks of '
'personal and customer data (e.g., names, addresses, email '
'addresses, financial data) is ongoing, posing risks of '
'identity theft. The attack highlights vulnerabilities in '
'third-party supply chains, following similar incidents at '
'Asahi and Jaguar Land Rover.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': ['Potential Erosion of Trust',
'Negative Publicity'],
'data_compromised': ['Potentially: Names, Addresses, Email '
'Addresses, Financial Data'],
'downtime': ['Ongoing (as of report)',
'Order Acceptance Halted',
'Shipping Operations Halted'],
'identity_theft_risk': ['High (if PII compromised)'],
'operational_impact': ['Severe Disruption to Online Sales',
'Logistics Paralysis',
'Customer Service Interruptions'],
'payment_information_risk': ['Potential (if financial data '
'exposed)'],
'systems_affected': ['Muji App (Order Histories, Browsing, '
'Purchases)',
'Muji Website (Content Display)',
'Askul Ecommerce Logistics System (Order '
'Acceptance, Shipping)']},
'initial_access_broker': {'high_value_targets': ['Askul Ecommerce Logistics '
'System']},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing (Askul investigating data leak extent)',
'lessons_learned': ['Third-party vendor vulnerabilities pose significant '
'supply chain risks.',
'Smaller partners (e.g., logistics providers) may lack '
'robust cybersecurity defenses compared to larger '
'retailers.',
'Transparency and rapid communication are critical during '
'third-party incidents.'],
'motivation': ['Financial Gain (Likely Ransom)', 'Data Theft'],
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': ['Confirmed (Askul Systems)'],
'data_exfiltration': ['Under Investigation']},
'recommendations': ['Conduct third-party cybersecurity audits for all '
'vendors, especially those with access to critical '
'systems/data.',
'Implement multi-layered defenses (e.g., network '
'segmentation, zero-trust policies) to limit lateral '
'movement from compromised partners.',
'Develop joint incident response plans with key '
'third-party providers.',
'Enhance monitoring for anomalous activity in '
'third-party-connected systems.'],
'references': [{'source': 'TechRadar Pro'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': ['Pending (if PII '
'breach confirmed)']},
'response': {'communication_strategy': ['Public Statements by Askul and Muji',
'Pending Notification on Data Leak '
'Findings'],
'incident_response_plan_activated': ['Askul Investigation '
'Underway']},
'stakeholder_advisories': ['Askul Public Statement (System Outage '
'Confirmation)',
'Muji Customer Notification (Service Disruptions)'],
'title': 'Ransomware Attack on Muji via Third-Party Logistics Partner Askul',
'type': ['Ransomware', 'Third-Party Breach', 'Supply Chain Attack']}