Bridgestone Americas, the North American division of the global tire giant, is currently investigating a cyberattack that has impacted the operations of several manufacturing plants. The incident was first reported on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, when disruptions surfaced at two of the company’s production facilities in Aiken County, South Carolina. The following day, similar issues were reported at its facility in Joliette, Quebec. The company has a significant presence in North America, with 50 production facilities and 55,000 employees.
In a statement provided to BleepingComputer, Bridgestone confirmed it is investigating a “limited cyber incident” that has affected some of its factories. The company stated that its team “responded quickly to contain the issue in keeping with our established protocols.” This swift action, they believe, prevented the attack from spreading deeper into their network or compromising customer information. This marks the second major cyber incident for the company in recent years, after a 2022 ransomware attack.
The company is working around the clock to mitigate the impact of the attack and minimize any potential fallout for the supply chain. While the full extent of the disruption is still under investigation, any significant halt in production could lead to product shortages in the market. The company spokesperson emphasized that maintaining business continuity and protecting data and interfaces remains their top priority as they work to meet their customer obligations.
Although Bridgestone has not yet clarified if the attack was a ransomware incident, the nature of the disruption, which has affected manufacturing operations, has hallmarks of such an attack. As of the time of reporting, no known ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on Bridgestone Americas. Forensic analysis is ongoing to determine the full scope of the breach and the identity of the threat actors.
The incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of large industrial manufacturers to cyberattacks. These companies are prime targets due to the potential for significant disruption they can cause by encrypting systems and halting production. This incident, along with other recent attacks on the automotive sector, underscores a troubling trend where cybercriminals are moving beyond data theft to engage in strategic attacks on operational technology to cripple production lines and cause widespread economic disruption.
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