A cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has caused an estimated £1.9 billion in damage, making it the most expensive cyber event in UK history. Experts at the Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) say 5,000 businesses were affected, with a full recovery not expected until January 2026.
The hack halted production for five weeks and caused widespread delays across JLR’s supply chain. The CMC has classified the incident as Category 3, the second most severe level of cyber attack after Category 5.
JLR declined to comment on the research, but the company is bringing back online parts of its manufacturing in a phased approach. The CMC estimates that more than half of the cost (£1 billion) will be borne by JLR itself, including loss of earnings and recovery costs.
The exact nature of the cyber attack is unknown, with some experts speculating it could have been a data theft or extortion attack. However, without confirmation from JLR, the CMC’s estimates may not be entirely accurate. The incident has highlighted the need for businesses to identify their critical networks and plan for disruptions, according to Ciaran Martin, chair of the CMC’s technical committee.
This cyber attack is the second report published by the CMC, which uses publicly available information, surveys, and industry expert insights to assess its impact.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9pdld4y81o