Toyota has halted production at 14 of its Japanese factories for at least one day due to a “system failure” at component supplier Kojima Industries.
Toyota acknowledged the temporary suspension in a brief statement made on Monday (February 28), which auto industry experts predict will result in a 5% decline in monthly production or a loss of around 13,000 units:
“Due to a system failure at a domestic supplier (KOJIMA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION), we have decided to suspend the operation of 28 lines at 14 plants in Japan on Tuesday, March 1st (both 1st and 2nd shifts). We apologize to our relevant suppliers and customers for any inconvenience this may cause.”
Toyota went on to say that it was still working with its suppliers to tighten the supply chain so that automobiles could be delivered “as soon as possible”.
Kojima Industries, which supplies Toyota with plastic parts and electronic components, has purportedly been the victim of a cyberattack, however this has yet to be confirmed.
The suspected cyberattack, according to third-party security experts, illustrates the growing relevance of supply chain security.
Hank Schless, Senior Manager of Security Solutions at mobile security specialist Lookout, said “Both the software supply chain and the physical supply chain have frequently made headlines in the last couple of years.
Schless added “This incident exemplifies how intertwined the two are, and how a successful attack on the software supply chain can have negative effects on the output of physical goods produced,”
Sam Curry, Chief Security Officer at threat intel firm Cybereason, said “Hackers long ago realised the value in attacking the supply chain, and SolarWinds and Kaseya were wake-up calls for many organizations to improve security hygiene and resiliency in the face of an onslaught of attacks. Overall, the supply chain has become the path of least resistance.”