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Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has directed factory personnel to remain at home until at least Tuesday as the company continues to address the repercussions of a recent cyber attack.
The cyber incident, which occurred over the weekend, necessitated the shutdown of critical IT systems, impacting both vehicle sales and production operations.
Currently, production remains suspended at automotive manufacturing facilities in Halewood, Merseyside, and Solihull, West Midlands, as well as at its engine manufacturing center in Wolverhampton.
The situation is under continuous evaluation, and the suspension of output may be extended.
Vehicle sales have also experienced significant disruptions, although the BBC understands that some transactions have been successfully processed.
The company, a subsidiary of India’s Tata Motors, initiated the system shutdown on Sunday to mitigate potential damage from the cyber incursion.
Efforts are underway to restore systems in a controlled and methodical manner; however, this process is understood to be highly complex. Furthermore, the company is implementing alternative solutions for systems that remain offline.
The disruption extends beyond JLR’s internal production lines, with its network of parts suppliers also experiencing operational constraints. Some suppliers have expressed concerns regarding a perceived lack of transparency from the company.
On Wednesday, a hacking collective, previously implicated in a damaging cyber attack on Marks and Spencer earlier this year, claimed responsibility for infiltrating JLR’s systems.
The group, identified as “Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters” and believed to be a collective of English-speaking teenagers, reportedly detailed to the BBC how they gained access to the car manufacturer’s systems. However, they have not confirmed whether they successfully exfiltrated private data or deployed malicious software on the company’s network.
The group released two images that appeared to depict internal troubleshooting instructions for a car charging issue and internal computer logs.
A cybersecurity expert indicated that these screenshots suggest unauthorized access to sensitive information.
JLR has stated that it is investigating the cyber incident. To date, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that customer data has been compromised.
In 2023, as part of a strategic initiative to “accelerate digital transformation across its business,” JLR entered into a five-year, £800 million agreement with Tata Consultancy Services, a corporate affiliate, to provide cybersecurity and a range of other IT services.
The production halt represents a further setback for the company, which recently reported a decline in profits attributed to increased costs stemming from US tariffs.
The cyberattack has caused significant disruptions at manufacturing facilities worldwide, with some staff instructed to stay away from work.
Gloucester City Council reports manually reconciling accounts after a 2021 cyberattack revealed a discrepancy.
Trained dogs will be deployed across Norfolk and Suffolk to locate mobile phones and hard drives relevant to investigations.
A report from the developers of Claude indicated that the AI tool has been exploited in cyber-attacks and fraudulent activities.
Compromised information includes basic personal data, contact details, and identity information.
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