Jaguar Land Rover’s Production Halt Extends To Next Week After Cyber Attack

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has extended a production halt at several of its key manufacturing plants as it continues to grapple with the fallout of a cyberattack that disrupted operations across its global network.

Staff at the company’s Halewood plant in Merseyside, Solihull site in the West Midlands and engine manufacturing centre in Wolverhampton have been told to stay home until at least Wednesday while bosses review the situation daily. The shutdown, which began on 31 August, was initially expected to end on 9 September but has now been extended as teams work to restore systems and resume production.

The UK’s largest carmaker confirmed that cyber security specialists are working “around the clock” to investigate the breach and implement temporary solutions to keep some operations running. The company said it had evidence that “some data” was accessed but has not yet disclosed whether customers or staff have been affected. Those impacted will be contacted directly, it added.

The attack is part of a wider surge in cyber incidents targeting UK companies. In recent months, Marks & Spencer, Harrods and the Co-op have been hit by cyberattacks, with M&S forced to suspend online sales for six weeks at a cost of around £300m. Train operator LNER also confirmed on Wednesday that hackers accessed customer contact details and travel data.

JLR, owned by Tata Motors, is now facing growing pressure to resume production as supply chains and dealerships brace for delays. The company has not disclosed a full timeline for recovery, underscoring the operational risk that ransomware and data breaches pose to UK manufacturing.

Cybersecurity experts say the attack highlights vulnerabilities in supply chains and the urgent need for firms to invest in preventative measures. The automotive sector, which relies heavily on interconnected systems, has become an increasingly attractive target for cybercriminals.