Jaguar Land Rover Extends UK Plant Shutdown After Cyberattack

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has extended the closure of its UK factories, including plants in Solihull, Halewood, and Wolverhampton, until at least next week following a cyberattack discovered on September 1. The attack forced JLR to shut down its IT networks to prevent further damage, which also halted production lines due to the high automation of its factories and supply networks, resulting in a loss of more than two weeks of global output. The disruption has impacted dealerships, suppliers, and service garages, particularly during a typically busy sales period, although some workarounds have been implemented to ease the strain. JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors, confirmed that some data may have been compromised and is cooperating with regulators, specialists, and the police in an ongoing forensic investigation. A hacking group named Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters, previously responsible for attacks on UK retailers including M&S, has claimed responsibility for the incident. Business officials have not yet determined if the attack was state-sponsored, amid a recent wave of cyberattacks affecting several UK companies.