Jaguar Land Rover Cyber-Attack: A Disruption in the Automotive Supply Chain
Introduction
The recent cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), one of the world's best-known car makers, has revealed extensive weaknesses in the interlinked character of international supply chains. The incident highlights the increasing cybersecurity issues of industries going through digital transformation. With its production stopped in several UK factories, supply chain disruptions, and service delays to its customers worldwide, this cyber-attack shows how cyber events can ripple into operation, finance, and reputation risks for large businesses.
The Anatomy of a Breakdown
Jaguar Land Rover, a Tata Motors subsidiary, was forced to disable its IT infrastructure because of a cyber-attack over the weekend. This shut down was already an emergency shut down to mitigate damage and the disruption to business was serious.
- No Production - The car plants at Halewood (Merseyside) and Solihull (West Midlands) and the engine plant (Wolverhampton) were all completely shut down.
- Sales and Distribution: Car sales were significantly impaired during a high-volume registration period in September, although certain transactions still passed through manual procedures.
- Global Effect: The breakdown did not reach only the UK, dealers and fix experts across the world, including in Australia, suffered with inaccessible parts databases.
JLR called the recovery process "extremely complex" as it involved a controlled recovery of systems and implementing alternative workarounds for offline services. The overall effects include the immediate and massive impact to their suppliers and customers, and has raised larger questions regarding the sustainability of digital ecosystems in the automobile value chain.
The Human Impact: Beyond JLR's Factories
The implications of the cyber-attack have extended beyond the production lines of JLR:
- Independent Garages: Repair centres such as Nyewood Express of West Sussex indicated that they could not use vital parts databases, which brought repair activities to a standstill and left clients waiting indefinitely.
- Global Dealers: Land Rover experts as distant as Tasmania indicated total system crashes, highlighting global dependency on centralized IT systems.
- Customer Frustration: Regular customers in need of urgent repairs were stranded by the inability to order replacement parts from original manufacturers.
This attack is an example of the cascading effect of cyber disruptions among interconnected industries, a single point of failure paralyzing complete ecosystems.
The Culprit: The Hacker Collective
The hack is justifiably claimed by a so-called hacker collective "Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters." The so-called hacking collective says that it consists of young English-speaking hackers and has previously targeted blue-chip brands like Marks & Spencer. While the attackers seem not to have publicly declared whether they exfiltrated sensitive information or deployed ransomware, they went ahead and posted screenshots of internal JLR documents-the kind of documents that probably are not supposed to see the light of day, including troubleshooting guides and system logs-implicating what can only be described as grossly unauthorized access into some of Jaguar Land Rover's core IT systems.
Jaguar Land Rover had gone on record to claim with no apropos proof or evidence that it probably did not see anyone getting into customer data; however, the very occurrence of this attack raises some very serious questions on insider threats, social engineering concepts, and how efficient cybersecurity governance architectures really are.
Cybersecurity Weaknesses and Lessons Learned
The JLR attack depicts some of the common weaknesses associated with large-scale manufacturing organizations:
- Centralized IT Dependencies: Today's auto firms are based on worldwide IT systems for operations, logistics, and customer care. Compromise can lead to broad outages.
- Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Tier-2 and Tier-1 suppliers use OEM systems for placing and tracing components. Interrupting at the OEM level automatically stops their processes.
- Inadequate Incident Visibility: Several suppliers complained about no clear information from JLR, which increased uncertainty and financial loss.
- Rise of Youth Hacking Groups: Involvement of youth hacker groups highlight the necessity for active monitoring and community-level cybersecurity awareness initiatives.
Broader Industry Context
With ever-increasing cyber-attacks on the automotive industry, an area currently being rapidly digitalised through connected cars, IoT-based factories, and cloud-based operations, this series of incidents falls within such a context. In 2023, JLR awarded an £800 million contract to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for services in support of the company's digital transformation and cybersecurity enhancement. This attack shows that, no matter how much is spent, poorly conceptualised security programs can never stand up to ever-changing cyber threats.
What Can Organizations Do? – Cyberpeace Recommendations
To contain risks and develop a resilience against such events, organizations need to implement a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity:
- Adopt Zero Trust Architecture - Presume breach as the new normal. Verify each user, device, and application before access is given, even inside the internal network.
- Enhance Supply Chain Security - Perform targeted assessments on a routine basis to identify risk factors in diminishing suppliers. Include rigorous cybersecurity provisions in the agreements with suppliers, namely disclosure of vulnerabilities and the agreed period for incident response.
- Durable Backups and Their Restoration - Backward hampers are kept isolated and encrypted to continue operations in case of ransomware incidents or any other occur in system compromise.
- Periodic Red Team Exercises - Simulate cyber-attacks on IT and OT systems to examine if vulnerabilities exist and evaluate current incident response measures.
- Employee Training and Insider Threat Monitoring - Social engineering being the forefront of attack vectors, continuous training and behavioural monitoring will have to be done to avoid credential disposal.
- Public-Private Partnership - Interact with several government agencies and cybersecurity groups for sharing threat intelligence and enforcing best practices complementary to ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
Conclusion
The hacking at Jaguar Land Rover is perhaps one of a thousand reminders that cybersecurity can no longer be seen as a back-office job but rather as an issue of business continuity at the very core of the organization. In the process of digital transformation, the attack surface grows, making the entities targeted by cybercriminals. Operation security demands that cybersecurity be ensured on a proactive basis through resilient supply chains and stakeholders working together. The JLR attack is not an isolated event; it is a warning for the entire automobile sector to maintain security at every level of digitalization.
References
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1jzl1lw4y1o
- https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/sep/07/disruption-to-jaguar-land-rover-after-cyber-attack-may-last-until-october
- https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/jaguar-factory-workers-told-stay-073458122.html
Related Blogs
Introduction
The Data Security Council of India’s India Cyber Threat Report 2025 calculates that a staggering 702 potential attacks happened per minute on average in the country in 2024. Recent alleged data breaches on organisations such as Star Health, WazirX, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), BSNL, etc. highlight the vulnerabilities of government organisations, critical industries, businesses, and individuals in managing their digital assets. India is the second most targeted country for cyber attacks globally, which warrants the development and adoption of cybersecurity governance frameworks essential for the structured management of cyber environments. The following global models offer valuable insights and lessons that can help strengthen cybersecurity governance.
Overview of Global Cybersecurity Governance Models
Cybersecurity governance frameworks provide a structured strategy to mitigate and address cyber threats. Different regions have developed their own governance models for cybersecurity, but they all emphasize risk management, compliance, and cross-sector collaboration for the protection of digital assets. Four such major models are:
- NIST CSF 2.0 (U.S.A): The National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber Security Framework provides a flexible, voluntary, risk-based approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution to manage cybersecurity risks. It endorses six core functions, which are: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. This is a widely adopted framework used by both public and private sector organizations even outside the U.S.A.
- ISO/IEC 27001: This is a globally recognized standard developed jointly by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). It provides a risk-based approach to help organizations of all sizes and types to identify, assess, and mitigate potential cybersecurity threats to Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) and preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. Organizations can seek ISO 27001 certification to demonstrate compliance with laws and regulations.
- EU NIS2 Directive: The Network and Information Security Directive 2 (NIS2) is an updated EU cybersecurity law that imposes strict obligations on critical services providers in four overarching areas: risk management, corporate accountability, reporting obligations, and business continuity. It is the most comprehensive cybersecurity directive in the EU to date, and non-compliance may attract non-monetary remedies, administrative fines up to at least €10 million or 2% of the global annual revenue (whichever is higher), or even criminal sanctions for top managers.
- GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)of the EU is a comprehensive data privacy law that also has major cybersecurity implications. It mandates that organizations must integrate cybersecurity into their data protection policies and report breaches within 72 hours, and it prescribes a fine of up to €20 million or 4% of global turnover for non-compliance.
India’s Cybersecurity Governance Landscape
In light of the growing nature of cyber threats, it is notable that the Indian government has taken comprehensive measures along with efforts by relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), National Payments Corporation (NPCI) and Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), CERT-In. However, there is still a lack of an overarching cybersecurity governance framework or comprehensive law in this area. Multiple regulatory bodies in India oversee cybersecurity for various sectors. Key mechanisms are:
- CERT-In Guidelines: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), is the nodal agency responsible for cybersecurity incident response, threat intelligence sharing, and capacity building. Organizations are mandated to maintain logs for 180 days and report cyber incidents to CERT-In within six hours of noticing them according to directions under the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act).
- IT Act & DPDP Act: These Acts, along with their associated rules, lay down the legal framework for the protection of ICT systems in India. While some sections mandate that “reasonable” cybersecurity standards be followed, specifics are left to the discretion of the organisations. Enforcement frameworks are vague, which leaves sectoral regulators to fill the gaps.
- Sectoral regulations: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), the Department of Telecommunications, the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and other regulatory bodies require that cybersecurity standards be maintained by their regulated entities.
Lessons for India & Way Forward
As the world faces unprecedented security and privacy threats to its digital ecosystem, the need for more comprehensive cybersecurity policies, awareness, and capacity building has perhaps never been greater. While cybersecurity practices may vary with the size, nature, and complexity of an organization (hence “reasonableness” informing measures taken), there is a need for a centralized governance framework in India similar to NIST2 to unify sectoral requirements for simplified compliance and improve enforcement. India ranks 10th on the World Cybercrime Index and was found to be "specialising" in scams and mid-tech crimes- those which affect mid-range businesses and individuals the most. To protect them, India needs to strengthen its enforcement mechanisms across more than just the critical sectors. This can be explored by penalizing bigger organizations handling user data susceptible to breaches more stringently, creating an enabling environment for strong cybersecurity practices through incentives for MSMEs, and investing in cybersecurity workforce training and capacity building. Finally, there is a scope for increased public-private collaboration for real-time cyber intelligence sharing. Thus, a unified, risk-based national cybersecurity governance framework encompassing the current multi-pronged cybersecurity landscape would give direction to siloed efforts. It would help standardize best practices, streamline compliance, and strengthen overall cybersecurity resilience across all sectors in India.
References
- https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/635e632477408d12d1811a64/676e56ee4cc30a320aecf231_Cloudsek%20Annual%20Threat%20Landscape%20Report%202024%20(1).pdf
- https://strobes.co/blog/top-data-breaches-in-2024-month-wise/#:~:text=In%20a%20large%2Dscale%20data,emails%2C%20and%20even%20identity%20theft.
- https://www.google.com/search?q=nist+2.0&oq=nist+&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggBEEUYOzIHCAAQABiPAjIGCAEQRRg7MgYIAhBFGDsyCggDEAAYsQMYgAQyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBggHEEUYPNIBCDE2MTJqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
- https://www.iso.org/standard/27001
- https://nis2directive.eu/nis2-requirements/
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/india-ranks-number-10-in-cybercrime-study-finds/articleshow/109223208.cms?from=mdr
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Misinformation spread has become a cause for concern for all stakeholders, be it the government, policymakers, business organisations or the citizens. The current push for combating misinformation is rooted in the growing awareness that misinformation leads to sentiment exploitation and can result in economic instability, personal risks, and a rise in political, regional, and religious tensions. The circulation of misinformation poses significant challenges for organisations, brands and administrators of all types. The spread of misinformation online poses a risk not only to the everyday content consumer, but also creates concerns for the sharer but the platforms themselves. Sharing misinformation in the digital realm, intentionally or not, can have real consequences.
Consequences for Platforms
Platforms have been scrutinised for the content they allow to be published and what they don't. It is important to understand not only how this misinformation affects platform users, but also its impact and consequences for the platforms themselves. These consequences highlight the complex environment that social media platforms operate in, where the stakes are high from the perspective of both business and societal impact. They are:
- Legal Consequences: Platforms can be fined by regulators if they fail to comply with content moderation or misinformation-related laws and a prime example of such a law is the Digital Services Act of the EU, which has been created for the regulation of digital services that act as intermediaries for consumers and goods, services, and content. They can face lawsuits by individuals, organisations or governments for any damages due to misinformation. Defamation suits are part of the standard practice when dealing with misinformation-causing vectors. In India, the Prohibition of Fake News on Social Media Bill of 2023 is in the pipeline and would establish a regulatory body for fake news on social media platforms.
- Reputational Consequences: Platforms employ a trust model where the user trusts it and its content. If a user loses trust in the platform because of misinformation, it can reduce engagement. This might even lead to negative coverage that affects the public opinion of the brand, its value and viability in the long run.
- Financial Consequences: Businesses that engage with the platform may end their engagement with platforms accused of misinformation, which can lead to a revenue drop. This can also have major consequences affecting the long-term financial health of the platform, such as a decline in stock prices.
- Operational Consequences: To counter the scrutiny from regulators, the platform might need to engage in stricter content moderation policies or other resource-intensive tasks, increasing operational costs for the platforms.
- Market Position Loss: If the reliability of a platform is under question, then, platform users can migrate to other platforms, leading to a loss in the market share in favour of those platforms that manage misinformation more effectively.
- Freedom of Expression vs. Censorship Debate: There needs to be a balance between freedom of expression and the prevention of misinformation. Censorship can become an accusation for the platform in case of stricter content moderation and if the users feel that their opinions are unfairly suppressed.
- Ethical and Moral Responsibilities: Accountability for platforms extends to moral accountability as they allow content that affects different spheres of the user's life such as public health, democracy etc. Misinformation can cause real-world harm like health misinformation or inciting violence, which leads to the fact that platforms have social responsibility too.
Misinformation has turned into a global issue and because of this, digital platforms need to be vigilant while they navigate the varying legal, cultural and social expectations across different jurisdictions. Efforts to create standardised practices and policies have been complicated by the diversity of approaches, leading platforms to adopt flexible strategies for managing misinformation that align with global and local standards.
Addressing the Consequences
These consequences can be addressed by undertaking the following measures:
- The implementation of a more robust content moderation system by the platforms using a combination of AI and human oversight for the identification and removal of misinformation in an effective manner.
- Enhancing the transparency in platform policies for content moderation and decision-making would build user trust and reduce the backlash associated with perceived censorship.
- Collaborations with fact checkers in the form of partnerships to help verify the accuracy of content and reduce the spread of misinformation.
- Engage with regulators proactively to stay ahead of legal and regulatory requirements and avoid punitive actions.
- Platforms should Invest in media literacy initiatives and help users critically evaluate the content available to them.
Final Takeaways
The accrual of misinformation on digital platforms has resulted in presenting significant challenges across legal, reputational, financial, and operational functions for all stakeholders. As a result, a critical need arises where the interlinked, but seemingly-exclusive priorities of preventing misinformation and upholding freedom of expression must be balanced. Platforms must invest in the creation and implementation of a robust content moderation system with in-built transparency, collaborating with fact-checkers, and media literacy efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of misinformation. In addition to this, adapting to diverse international standards is essential to maintaining their global presence and societal trust.
References
- https://pirg.org/edfund/articles/misinformation-on-social-media/
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/12/674
- https://scroll.in/article/1057626/israel-hamas-war-misinformation-is-being-spread-across-social-media-with-real-world-consequences
- https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/01-09-2022-infodemics-and-misinformation-negatively-affect-people-s-health-behaviours--new-who-review-finds
Executive Summary:
The video that allegedly showed cars running into an Indian flag while Pakistan flags flying in the air in Indian states, went viral on social media but it has been established to be misleading. The video posted is neither from Kerala nor Tamil Nadu as claimed, instead from Karachi, Pakistan. There are specific details like the shop's name, Pakistani flags, car’s number plate, geolocation analyses that locate where the video comes from. The false information underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it.
Claims:
A video circulating on social media shows cars trampling the Indian Tricolour painted on a road, as Pakistani flags are raised in pride, with the incident allegedly taking place in Tamil Nadu or Kerala.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the post we closely watched the video, and found several signs that indicated the video was from Pakistan but not from any place in India.
We divided the video into keyframes and found a shop name near the road.
We enhanced the image quality to see the shop name clearly.
We can see that it’s written as ‘Sanam’, also we can see Pakistan flags waving on the road. Taking a cue from this we did some keyword searches with the shop name. We found some shops with the name and one of the shop's name ‘Sanam Boutique’ located in Karachi, Pakistan, was found to be similar when analyzed using geospatial Techniques.
We also found a similar structure of the building while geolocating the place with the viral video.
Additional confirmation of the place is the car’s number plate found in the keyframes of the video.
We found a website that shows the details of the number Plate in Karachi, Pakistan.
Upon thorough investigation, it was found that the location in the viral video is from Karachi, Pakistan, but not from Kerala or Tamil Nadu as claimed by different users in Social Media. Hence, the claim made is false and misleading.
Conclusion:
The video circulating on social media, claiming to show cars trampling the Indian Tricolour on a road while Pakistani flags are waved, does not depict an incident in Kerala or Tamil Nadu as claimed. By fact-checking methodologies, it has been confirmed now that the location in the video is actually from Karachi, Pakistan. The misrepresentation shows the importance of verifying the source of any information before sharing it on social media to prevent the spread of false narratives.
- Claim: A video shows cars trampling the Indian Tricolour painted on a road, as Pakistani flags are raised in pride, taking place in Tamil Nadu or Kerala.
- Claimed on: X (Formerly known as Twitter)
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
