Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has admitted that data may have been compromised in a cyber attack that has paralysed its global operations since 2 September, forcing shutdowns at factories and dealerships across the UK and abroad.
The UK’s biggest carmaker said in a statement: “We now believe that some data has been affected and we are informing the relevant regulators… We are very sorry for the continued disruption this incident is causing and we will continue to update as the investigation progresses.”
Staff at various plants including Solihull and Halewood had already been told to stay home until at least 9 September, with insiders warning the crisis could stretch on for weeks.
The attack has left retail systems unable to process new ’75 plate’ registrations, delaying deliveries for its customers.
A hacker group linked to Scattered Spider has claimed responsibility and the National Crime Agency (NCA), National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) are investigating.
Warning after Jaguar Land Rover attack
Although JLR has stressed there is currently “no evidence” that customer data has been stolen, cyber experts are urging vigilance.
Kamran Bahdur, from cybersecurity firm FLR Spectron, said: “Change your password straight away, monitor your bank accounts, and be alert to phishing attempts pretending to be from Jaguar Land Rover.”
“Breaches often expose names, addresses and order histories – even if payment data is safe, that information can still be used for scams or fraud.”
The timing of the attack, which coincided with the new registration plate launch, has been described as “strategic business warfare” by security analysts, designed to inflict maximum disruption on the carmaker
JLR, owned by India’s Tata Motors, is continuing to work with third-party cyber security specialists and law enforcement to restore its systems “in a controlled and safe manner”.
In May, City AM reported that Jaguar Land Rover had achieved its highest profit for a decade despite its sales stalling during its latest financial year.
The Coventry-headquartered automotive giant posted a profit of £2.5bn for the 12 months to 31 March, 2025.
The latest total is up from the £2.2bn profit it achieved in its prior year – itself its highest figure in a decade.
Jaguar Land Rover said the rise in its profit year-on-year “reflects higher volumes and a reduction in depreciation and amortisation, partially offset by an increase in variable marketing expense”.