Jaguar Land Rover estimates 'recovery from a debilitating cyber assault could take weeks,' leaving customers in uncertainty and disarray.

Jaguar Land Rover Suffers Major Cyberattack, Affecting Thousands of UK Workers

In a significant blow to the automotive industry, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been hit by a cyberattack that has crippled its operations, causing an estimated loss of £5 million a day. The attack, which lasted until May 3, has forced factory staff at JLR's plants in Solihull, Halewood, and Wolverhampton to stay home, and has affected production in the UK, Slovakia, Brazil, and India.

The cyberattack has rendered JLR's computer systems useless, making it impossible for the company to carry out its regular operations. Online catalogues of spare parts cannot be accessed, and diagnostic tests have been affected, preventing cars from being serviced properly at dealerships. This has caused significant problems for JLR, leading to a drop in quarterly profits by a significant 49 percent.

The National Cyber Security Centre is working with JLR to provide support in relation to the cyberattack. There is hope that the government could step in with financial support to help cushion the impact on JLR's suppliers. Four independent suppliers, Evtec, WHS Plastics, SurTec, and OPmobility, which employ more than 6,000 UK workers, have temporarily laid off their workforces due to JLR's troubles.

The cyberattack comes at a time when the West Midlands automotive sector is experiencing its worst crisis since the enforced shutdown due to the Covid pandemic. Some of the problems faced by dealers have been eased thanks to workarounds using third-party technology, but a major recall would be difficult to manage.

The relaunch of the Jaguar brand last November has been pointed to as a potential start of JLR's problems. PB Balaji, finance chief at Tata Motors, was brought in as the replacement for Mardell in early August. The trade deal between Britain and the US, announced on May 8, allows for the sale of 100,000 cars a year at a 10 percent tariff, four times higher than the pre-2025 rate of 2.5 percent.

JLR revealed its best return for a decade on May 13, bringing in a £2.5 billion pre-tax profit in the 12 months to March, mainly due to bumper sales of the Slovakian-made Land Rover Defender. However, the cyberattack has significantly impacted these profits, with the full extent of the damage yet to be determined.

The cyberattack has been claimed by a group called the "Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters," which is said to be affiliated with a hacker collective called The Com. The company is working tirelessly to regain control of its systems and resume normal operations as soon as possible.

Jaguar Land Rover estimates 'recovery from a debilitating cyber assault could take weeks,' leaving customers in uncertainty and disarray.