WannaCry Ransomware Stops Honda Manufacturing Plant

Manufacturing // Sayama, Japan

The global WannaCry ransomware outbreak forced Honda to hit the brakes at one of its vehicle production plants.

Honda Motor Company announced Wednesday it stopped production Monday at its Sayama plant in Japan to address affected networks in Japan, North America, Europe and China, a spokeswoman told Reuters. The company had attempted to secure its networks when WannaCry first popped up in mid-May, she said.

Production resumed at the Sayama plant Tuesday, but it’s a reminder the WannaCry threat persists. At a recent House hearing, cyber experts told lawmakers WannaCry’s ransomware component—the part that locks down files and demands payment—was diffused. The second component—a self-propagating worm—continues to infect systems without further action from its creators.