Yamaha Canada Music confirmed attack claimed by two ransomware gangs

Yamaha Canada Music, the Canadian arm of the Japanese musical instrument and audio equipment maker, confirmed in July 2023 that it had been the target of a cyberattack.

In a statement issued on July 20, the company said the incident resulted in unauthorized access and data theft. It said it swiftly implemented containment measures and worked with external specialists and its own IT staff to prevent major damage or further malware infiltration, and it offered credit monitoring to people considered at risk. Yamaha Canada did not say what categories of information were taken or how many people were affected.

Two separate ransomware operations had already listed the company. BlackByte named Yamaha Canada Music on its leak site on June 14, 2023, and Akira added it on July 21. Neither claim was independently verified, and Yamaha did not say which, if either, was responsible.

Researchers who tracked the case noted that victims appearing on two leak sites had become more common. The likeliest explanations offered were affiliates working for more than one operation, or groups coordinating postings to draw attention and increase pressure on a victim. A similar double listing had been reported days earlier involving Estee Lauder.

Yamaha Canada Music said it had reinforced its network defenses and that the matter remained under investigation.