Factories remain closed
Jaguar Land Rover will keep its UK plants shut until at least Wednesday. The company continues to struggle with disruption caused by a cyber attack that began over a week ago.
Production is suspended at Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton. Facilities in Slovakia, China and India are also offline. Assembly line workers have been told to remain at home.
On 31 August the company shut down its IT systems to prevent further damage. The move caused widespread operational disruption.
Push to restore operations
Jaguar Land Rover says teams are working nonstop to safely bring networks back online. Cybersecurity specialists and law enforcement are supporting the effort.
Last Thursday employees were told to remain home until at least Tuesday while recovery continued.
The automaker, owned by India’s Tata Motors, has not addressed reports suggesting the crisis could last for several weeks.
Supply chain under strain
Jaguar Land Rover normally produces around 1,000 vehicles per day. The shutdown has placed heavy pressure on suppliers. Some have already instructed their own staff not to report to work.
Dealerships and garages also faced disruption. Dealers could not register new cars, and workshops could not order parts. Temporary solutions are now in place.
The timing added to the impact. New licence plates were released at the start of September, a busy period for vehicle deliveries.
Concerns from suppliers
Shaun Adams, who runs the parts supplier Qualplast, warned that a prolonged shutdown would be damaging. He said that if the stoppage lasts weeks, the company would need to review its future plans.
Hackers claim responsibility
A young hacker group has claimed the attack. They previously targeted other UK businesses, including a major retailer.
The group boasted about the breach on Telegram within days. Experts believe the hackers gained access to sensitive company data.
Investigators suspect extortion was the motive. Jaguar Land Rover confirmed it is aware of the claims and continues to investigate.
