Apple and Tesla Data Stolen in Tata Electronics Cyberattack

Thousands of confidential documents connected to Apple and Tesla have been stolen in a cyberattack. Some of them contain sensitive information.

The cyberattack is causing considerable concern. Tata Electronics, Apple’s Indian subcontractor, has confirmed a report first published by Reuters: the group was hit by a major cyberattack. Data relating to Apple and Tesla, two of its most significant clients, was stolen and then published on the dark web.

Tata Electronics cyberattack: 630 GB of stolen data

The World Leaks collective is behind the attack. The haul is substantial: 630 GB of data and more than 200,000 sensitive documents. According to Reuters, the material has already been online since 10 June. Tata Electronics, which produces components for Apple and Tesla, issued a statement confirming the incident:

“A few weeks ago, Tata Electronics identified a cybersecurity incident affecting certain of its systems. Our response protocols were deployed immediately, and the incident had no impact on our operations across all business areas, which remain unchanged.”

Which Apple and Tesla documents were stolen?

Apple has not commented on the theft, although Reuters says the Cupertino company has launched an internal investigation. That is unsurprising given the sensitivity of the stolen files. Among them is reportedly a 52-page PDF setting out, in detail, the quality standards for Apple product motherboards, including those used in iPhones. In other words, manufacturing secrets.

Data belonging to certain employees, including their email addresses and copies of their passports, is also online. Internal Tesla documents referring to unannounced projects have been published as well.

Apple’s key Indian subcontractor

Tata is Apple’s leading subcontractor in India, particularly through its Hosur site in the centre of the country, which is mentioned several times in the leaked documents. It is still too early to assess the consequences of the attack, but it could harm the trust the Cupertino firm places in its subcontractor. Industrial secrets, particularly security standards, are highly confidential, and there is little doubt that Apple is taking the matter extremely seriously, as is Tesla, which is also affected.

This is not the first time Tata has been hacked, either. Last year, data linked to Jaguar Land Rover was stolen. The attack was so severe that production had to be halted for six weeks. World Leaks is also no newcomer to such operations, having previously hacked Nike’s data.