Tata Electronics confirms cyber breach after data leak

Tata Electronics Pvt Ltd on Tuesday disclosed a cybersecurity breach after a ransomware-linked group allegedly published thousands of confidential files on the dark web, including documents reportedly linked to Apple and Tesla.

More than 200,000 files purportedly taken from Tata Electronics' servers were released by the ransomware group known as "World Leaks", according to security researchers who examined the leaked material. The files allegedly include component designs, manufacturing specifications, internal communications and other confidential company data related to some of Tata Electronics' international clients.

While acknowledging that it had recently detected a cybersecurity incident, Tata Electronics, a key supplier to Apple's expanding manufacturing operations in India, said the breach had not affected its business operations.

“A few weeks ago, Tata Electronics identified a cybersecurity incident on some of our systems. Our response protocols were deployed immediately, and the incident has had no impact on our operations across businesses, which remain unaffected,” the company said in a statement.

Apple has launched an investigation into the matter, according to a source familiar with the development who requested anonymity. The source also said Tata Electronics had received a ransom demand linked to the cyberattack and that a detailed investigation into the breach was underway.

The report comes as Tata Electronics plays an increasingly important role in Apple's efforts to expand manufacturing beyond China. The company currently produces about one-third of Apple's iPhones in India, with the remainder manufactured by Taiwan-based Foxconn.

Some media reports suggest that World Leaks, a ransomware network that has previously claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on major corporations, said it had published stolen Tata Electronics data on its dark web site.

The leaked data reportedly comprises more than 200,000 files totalling over 630 terabytes of information.

The dataset allegedly contains folders with names such as "com.apple.factorydata" and documents referencing manufacturing processes and material specifications.

The compromised material also reportedly included emails, event logs spanning several years, and copies of employee passports, including those belonging to foreign nationals.