Honda resumes production at plants hit by suspected cyber attack

Japan’s Honda Motor Co has resumed production at automobile and motorcycle plants in the United States and other countries after they were hit by a suspected cyber-attack this week, a spokesman said on Friday.

The suspected attack comes less than a month after Honda reopened its North American vehicle assembly plants, following closure of factories in late March to comply with coronavirus-related, shelter-at-home rules in the United States and Canada.

The spokesman said the Japanese automaker had resumed vehicle output by Thursday at its main plant in the US state of Ohio, which produces models such as the CR-V SUV crossover and the Accord sedan.

“It appears that our customers’ personal information has not been affected,” the spokesman said by telephone, but declined to comment on any production impact.

Another vehicle plant in Turkey and motorcycle plants in India and Brazil were back up and running by Wednesday, he said, while some North American call centres and online financial services continued to experience disruptions.

The suspected attack was the second on Honda’s global network after the WannaCry virus forced it to halt production for a day at a domestic plant in 2017. It comes as the firm continues to reel from the impact of the coronavirus.

Separately, Honda said on Friday it would halt some production shifts at three domestic vehicle plants in July, citing a lack of demand and issues with procuring vehicle parts.

In a website statement, the automaker said it would shut its Yorii plant in Saitama prefecture over four staggered days next month, and halt output at the nearby Sayama plant for a day, with a three-day closure at the Suzuka plant in Mie prefecture.