Apple and Tesla supplier Tata Electronics confirms cyber breach

More than 200,000 files published on the dark web

India's Tata Electronics, a major IT components supplier, has confirmed a cybersecurity incident after researchers said a ransomware group published allegedly confidential company files, including documents purportedly linked to Apple and Tesla.

The company said it detected the breach several weeks ago and activated its response procedures immediately.

"A few weeks ago, Tata Electronics identified a cybersecurity incident on some of our systems," the company said in a statement.

"Our response protocols were deployed immediately, and the incident has had no impact on our operations across businesses, which remain unaffected."

The firm did not disclose what information may have been compromised, whether customer data was affected, or if clients had been informed.

Tata Electronics has become one of India's most important technology manufacturers, producing components and assembling devices for some of the world's largest technology companies.

Cybersecurity researchers told Reuters that a ransomware group known as World Leaks had published more than 200,000 files allegedly stolen from Tata Electronics on a dark web site.

The data dump reportedly contains over 630GB of material, including emails, event logs and copies of employee passports.

Researchers who reviewed the files said they also found documents appearing to relate to Apple's manufacturing operations and Tesla vehicle components.

Among the material were folders bearing names such as "com.apple.factorydata" and documents referencing material specifications and manufacturing processes.

Some files carried notices stating they contained proprietary and confidential information belonging to Apple.

Other documents appeared to relate to Tesla projects, including files labelled as trade secrets and references to components associated with updated versions of the electric vehicle maker's Model Y and Model 3 models.

Reuters reported that Apple has begun investigating the incident, and that a ransom demand has been made.

Neither Apple nor Tesla has publicly commented on whether any of their confidential information was exposed.

The breach demonstrates how cyber-criminals are increasingly targeting suppliers that hold large volumes of confidential information on behalf of multinational technology companies.

A six-year-old success story

Part of Indian behemoth Tata Group, Tata Electronics was founded in 2020 and has expanded rapidly to become a key player in the country’s efforts to develop domestic electronics manufacturing and semiconductor production.

The company employs more than 75,000 people and operates facilities across India.

Its rise has coincided with efforts by multinational firms to diversify production away from China.

Tata has established partnerships with companies including Apple, Tesla, Intel, Qualcomm and ASML, helping position India as an increasingly important manufacturing hub.

The company entered iPhone production in 2023 after acquiring the Indian operations of Taiwanese manufacturer Wistron, a long-standing Apple supplier. It later expanded its role in Apple's supply chain by purchasing a majority stake in the Indian unit of Pegatron.

According to industry sources, Tata now accounts for roughly one-third of iPhone production in India, with Taiwan's Foxconn producing most of the remainder.

The latest incident is not the first cyber security challenge faced by the wider Tata Group.

Last year, a cyberattack affecting its British luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover disrupted production for several weeks.