The attack, which started on 1 September, forced JLR to shut down systems worldwide. Without access to crucial IT infrastructure, parts can’t be ordered and plants remain idle. Retailers are stuck, unable to move inventory or register new cars. The fix is still nowhere in sight.
Experts estimate the outage costs JLR up to £5 million a day. The silence from JLR this week only fuels uncertainty. Some suppliers already face financial ruin as the crunch bites. Former Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer warned layoffs are not just probable—they’re underway.
Calls for government intervention are growing loud and urgent. Liam Byrne, chair of the Commons Business and Trade Committee, urges ministers to launch a furlough scheme for workers caught in the supply chain shutdown. With thousands of jobs at risk, early support is critical to prevent a temporary crisis from turning permanent.
Trade union leader Sharon Graham backs this demand. She points out the immediate threat to vital skills and hundreds of suppliers relying on JLR’s production rhythm. Granting wage support could buy time while the carmaker and its network reboot.
The breach targeted a weakness in SAP Netweaver software used by JLR, a vulnerability flagged earlier this year by US cybersecurity authorities. Whether JLR acted on this warning is unclear. Data “affected” in the breach might include customer details, though specifics remain confidential.
This attack follows a distressing pattern of industrial interruptions via hacking. The ripple effects reach further than just factory floors—threatening jobs, local economies, and Britain’s reputation for advanced manufacturing.
JLR and the government face pressure to stop the slide before the damage becomes permanent. For now, the company’s fate hangs in the balance, and thousands of workers wait for answers.