Trade Secrets Targeted in Tata Cyberattack

One of India’s leading technology manufacturing companies, Tata Electronics, has recently fallen victim to a major cyberattack. According to a special report by Reuters, hackers infiltrated the company’s network and leaked highly sensitive trade secrets and confidential documents belonging to global technology giant Apple and electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla on the dark web.

Tata Electronics operates one of Apple’s key iPhone component manufacturing and assembly facilities in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India.

How Much Data Was Stolen?

Cybersecurity researchers said a ransomware group known as “World Leaks” has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has published more than 200,000 files stolen from Tata Electronics on its dark web portal, with a combined size of approximately 630 gigabytes.

The leaked data reportedly includes:

Apple Confidential Documents: A 52-page quality control and inspection manual related to iPhone circuit boards bearing Apple’s proprietary and confidentiality markings. Researchers also found 33 separate folders associated with the Hosur facility, along with a database titled “com.apple.factorydata.”

Tesla Trade Secrets: Design documents for the charge-port controller of Tesla’s upcoming Model Y SUV, as well as mechanical drawings from 2023 related to “Project Highland,” the codename for the refreshed Model 3 sedan. Several of the documents were marked as “Trade Secret.”

Employee Personal Information: Indian cybersecurity researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia, who reviewed the leaked files, stated that in addition to commercial designs, the breach exposed scanned passport copies of Tata Electronics executives and foreign employees, internal email communications, and several years of internal event logs.

Tata Electronics and Apple Respond

Following the disclosure, Tata Electronics confirmed the cyberattack in an official statement to Reuters but maintained that its business operations had not been affected.

The company stated:

“Several weeks ago, Tata Electronics identified a cybersecurity incident affecting some of our systems. Our emergency protocols were immediately activated, and all of our business operations remain fully functional and unaffected.”

Meanwhile, Apple has reportedly launched a comprehensive investigation and full analysis of the data breach due to the sensitivity of the leaked information. Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the attackers demanded a substantial ransom from Tata in exchange for deleting or returning the stolen data. However, neither Tata nor Apple commented on the ransom demand.

A Blow to the Global Supply Chain

Tata Electronics currently manufactures approximately one-third of all iPhones produced in India, while the remaining share is assembled by Foxconn. As India seeks to establish itself as a world-class electronics manufacturing hub outside China, Tata has emerged as one of the country’s most important strategic partners in that effort.

According to industry experts, the attack highlights a growing cybersecurity risk within global supply chains. Even when major brands strengthen their internal security systems, highly sensitive intellectual property can still be compromised through third-party vendors and manufacturing partners.

Last year, Tata Group’s British automotive subsidiary, Jaguar Land Rover, was also hit by a similar cyberattack, forcing the company to suspend production for nearly six weeks.

//DBTech/BMT/OR//