Jaguar Land Rover Factories Shut Down After Cyber Attack

Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) UK factories will stay closed until at least Wednesday after a major cyber attack disrupted production more than a week ago.

The carmaker’s plants in Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton, along with sites in Slovakia, China and India, have all been affected. Staff working on production lines have been told to stay home.

The company shut down its IT systems on 31 August to protect them from further damage, but the move caused serious disruption. JLR says it is working around the clock with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to bring systems back online safely.

Last week, employees were told to remain at home until Tuesday, but the shutdown has now been extended. Reports suggest the disruption could last for weeks, though JLR has not confirmed this.

Normally, the company builds around 1,000 cars a day. The stoppage has hit suppliers hard, with some sending their own workers home. Dealerships were also left unable to register new cars, and garages struggled to order spare parts, though temporary fixes are now in place.

The attack happened at a key time for the auto industry, as new registration plates became available on 1 September. Suppliers say a long shutdown could seriously affect their business.

A group of young English-speaking hackers, who have previously targeted UK firms like Marks & Spencer, claimed responsibility for the attack. They boasted about it on Telegram, and experts believe they gained access to sensitive company information.

The hackers are thought to be trying to extort money from JLR. The company says it is aware of the claims and is still investigating.