Tata cyber breach exposes Apple and Tesla files in massive 200,000-file leak

Tata Electronics said on Monday it had detected a recent "cybersecurity incident", after researchers said World Leaks posted purported component design and specification papers of Apple and Tesla, both customers of the Indian group.

As reported by Reuters, the ransomware group has posted more than 200,000 files on the dark web.

"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," Tata Electronics said in a statement.

Apple was investigating the breach and a "full analysis was going on", a source familiar with the matter said, adding that Tata had received a ransom demand related to the incident.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment. Tata Electronics declined to comment on the ransom demand.

The breach is the latest setback for Apple’s supply chain in India, where Tata faces scrutiny over alleged contamination of farmlands near one of its iPhone parts plants.

Tata is emerging as one of Apple’s most important manufacturing partners outside China, an expansion that is a cornerstone of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to make India an electronics manufacturing powerhouse.

Tata was previously hit by a cyberattack on its British Jaguar Land Rover group that resulted in a six-week production halt.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, a unit under India’s IT ministry that oversees cyber incidents, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

World Leaks, which has previously claimed responsibility for a Nike breach, said on its dark web site that it was publishing stolen data from Tata Electronics.

The authenticity of the data could not be independently verified. The World Leaks site claims the dataset includes more than 200,000 files totaling over 630 gigabytes. A database listing shows multiple purported Apple-related files and folders, including ones titled "com.apple.factorydata" and documents referencing "material specification".

Indian cybersecurity researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia, who reviewed the files, said they also contain emails, event logs spanning several years, and passport copies of employees, including foreign nationals.

A second security researcher, Rakesh Krishnan, said the data had been accessible on the dark web since at least June 10.

Tata also manufactures components for Tesla. One folder in the leaked dataset was labelled "NV36 Chargeport Controller - North America", possibly referring to parts used in an upgraded Tesla Model Y.

Another document marked "TRADE SECRET" appeared to contain design drawings linked to Tesla’s Project Highland, the internal codename for the updated Model 3.

Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.

Some of the leaked files carried disclaimers stating they contained proprietary and confidential information belonging to Apple and Tesla.

Among the materials was a 52-page document bearing Apple markings, allegedly detailing quality inspection standards for iPhone circuit board components.

There were also dozens of files linked to "Hosur", the location of Tata’s main iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu.

Tata currently accounts for roughly a third of Apple’s iPhone production in India, with Foxconn producing the remainder.

The breach underscores the growing vulnerability of global supply chains to sophisticated cyberattacks and ransomware threats.