Hackers claim responsibility for JLR cyber attack

Jaguar Land Rover has faced a major cyber attack (PA) Peter Byrne

Jaguar Land Rover factory staff have been told to work from home until at least next Tuesday as the luxury carmaker battles the fallout from a major cyber attack. Production workers cannot return until September 9, with the situation under review.

The company has paused production at its factories in Halewood on Merseyside and Solihull in the West Midlands, as well as at its engine manufacturing site in Wolverhampton. The UK car manufacturer, owned by India's Tata Motors, shut down systems on Sunday after becoming aware of issues affecting its global operations.

JLR revealed on Tuesday that production and sales have been "severely disrupted" following the hack. The attack represents the latest setback for the carmaker as it deals with US tariffs on the sector and weak consumer confidence.

Critical timing impact

The cyber attack comes at a crucial time for car firms, with September traditionally boosting demand for new motors when the latest registration plates are released. The hack is also affecting vehicle repairs, as dealerships and garages cannot order new parts, while some customer handovers are impacted.

Hackers claim responsibility

A group of young hackers who targeted Marks and Spencer and other British brands reportedly claimed on Wednesday they were behind the JLR attack. The BBC reported that the gang bragged about the hack on instant messaging platform Telegram and shared screenshots purporting to be from the car manufacturer's internal IT system.

The gang made the claims on a Telegram channel called Scattered LapsusS Hunters, a combination of three English-speaking hacking groups known as Scattered Spider, LapsusS and ShinyHunters. The attacks follow a spate of cyber incidents across the UK retail sector earlier this year, with M&S, the Co-op and Harrods among those worst affected.

Scattered Spider has been blamed for attacks on British retailers earlier this year, after which M&S stopped online sales for around six weeks and warned the incident could cost around £300 million. Four young people were arrested for their suspected involvement in the April attacks and have been bailed.

Security response

JLR said it was "working at pace" to restart operations across retail and production sites. The company stressed there was "no evidence" that any customer data has been stolen in the attack.

Matt Western, MP and chairman of the joint committee on the National Security Strategy, called on firms to boost their defences following the latest hack. He said: "These latest attacks demonstrate that cybercrime is an organised and potent threat to UK plc. Criminals are targeting some of the UK's most visible businesses and causing huge economic disruption. We must be prepared for the possibility of future attacks that put vital supply chains in the firing line. Government cannot do this alone; businesses must bolster their own defences too."

Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.