TOKYO: A Canadian subsidiary of Japanese electronics giant Panasonic Corp. is likely to have fallen victim to a cyberattack, it was learned Wednesday.

A group calling itself Conti, which carries out ransomware attacks, released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack on the unit.

Panasonic is aware of the statement and is confirming whether there has been any damage, an official said.

It is unclear whether any ransom demands have been made.

The statement was posted on a website on the dark web, a highly anonymous part of the internet known as a hotbed of illegal trade and criminal activity.

Also published on the dark web were data on financial documents that Conti claims to have stolen from the subsidiary.

There has been a string of cyberattacks to disrupt supply chains of Japanese manufacturers. A parts supplier for Toyota Motor Corp. was targeted, forcing the automaker to suspend production at all domestic plants last month.

JIJI Press