Jaguar Land Rover is receiving daily support from the government after last week’s cyber attack, which has brought its operations to a standstill. The British car maker took the decision to shut down operations upon discovering the attack last Tuesday, instructing its staff to remain at home since then. Sky News has learned that JLR workers will not be returning to work on Wednesday, with production suspended for another day.
Business minister Sir Chris Bryant was unable to provide a timeline for when operations would resume for all 34,000 UK workers of the company. He mentioned that the situation is ongoing for a week and refrained from disclosing details about the attackers, despite the hacking group Scattered Spider claiming responsibility. Scattered Spider was implicated in attacks on British retailers earlier this year, resulting in an estimated cost of £300m for M&S.
Regarding the incident’s connection to the M&S attack, Mr. Bryant stated that he was unsure, as no definitive decisions had been made. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has arranged a Q&A session on Friday for local MPs representing constituents affected by the shutdown. Labour MP Derek Twigg emphasized the importance of the JLR Halewood plant in his constituency, expressing concern about the impact on thousands of jobs in the supply chain.
JLR, with 39,000 employees worldwide and a significant supply chain, is working tirelessly to restart operations in a controlled and safe manner. The company apologized for the disruption caused by the incident and reassured that retail partners remain open, promising further updates.
Sir Chris underscored the seriousness of cyber threats, highlighting the presence of major criminals and malicious state actors in the space. He emphasized the prevalence of cyber attacks, with 40% of UK companies reporting such incidents last year. The government remains vigilant in addressing these issues to safeguard businesses and infrastructure.
The situation remains fluid, with JLR striving to resume normal operations amidst ongoing investigations and security measures. The company’s commitment to transparency and collaboration with authorities and stakeholders is paramount in navigating the aftermath of the cyber attack.
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