Jaguar Land Rover is reeling from the aftermath of a cyber attack that has halted production across multiple sites and left staff ordered to remain at home until at least Tuesday. The company, owned by Tata Motors of India, said it was working to restore its IT systems, which were taken offline over the weekend to limit potential damage.
The disruption has brought production to a standstill at JLR’s Halewood and Solihull factories, as well as its engine manufacturing plant in Wolverhampton. Car sales have also been significantly disrupted, though some transactions have managed to go through. The timing could hardly be worse: the release of new vehicle registration plates on September 1 traditionally drives a surge in customer demand.
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Luxury Car Dreams on Hold: Jaguar Land Rover Brought Down by Hackers
Supply Chain Strain Reaches Independent Garages
The fallout stretches far beyond JLR’s production lines. Suppliers have been forced to curb operations, while independent repair garages are reporting severe difficulties in obtaining replacement parts. James Wallis, who runs Nyewood Express in West Sussex, said he cannot even access the database to identify the parts needed for repairs, warning that customers face delays with vehicles sitting idle.
The impact is global. Alan Howard, a Land Rover parts specialist in Tasmania, Australia, said he relies on the same system as dealers in London. Without access to JLR’s programme, repair shops are forced to improvise with limited third-party options.
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Hackers Claim Responsibility as Investigation Continues
On Wednesday, a group calling itself “Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters” claimed responsibility, sharing screenshots of internal company logs and troubleshooting instructions. Cybersecurity experts who reviewed the images said they indicated unauthorized access, though it remains unclear whether sensitive customer data was stolen. JLR has confirmed an investigation is underway, but stressed there is no evidence at this stage of a breach of personal data.
The attack is the latest challenge for JLR, which last year signed an £800 million (Rs. 9544 Crores) contract with Tata Consultancy Services to oversee cybersecurity and IT infrastructure. The firm is already under pressure after reporting weaker profits linked to rising costs and U.S. tariffs.
For now, operations remain suspended as JLR works through what insiders describe as a highly complex restoration process. The disruption underscores the vulnerability of global manufacturers to cybercrime, as attacks increasingly ripple through entire supply chains.