Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 6 hrs ago
Former UK minister says JLR cyberattack was state-sponsored
A cyberattack hit Jaguar Land Rover in 2025, forcing the UK carmaker to stop production for five weeks.
Former armed forces minister Al Carns said in July that the attack was state-sponsored, but said his view was not based on an official Ministry of Defence assessment.
The attack caused an estimated £1.6 billion to £2.1 billion in damage, making it the most economically damaging cyberattack in UK history.
A New York Times investigation linked the hack to a Russian group, but the UK government has not officially named those responsible.
Carns said an attack on this scale would be unlikely to happen without the country where the hackers operated knowing about it.
The investigation is still ongoing, and UK MPs have called for more transparency about who was behind the attack.
Former UK armed forces minister Al Carns said the Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack was state-sponsored.
Carns made the remark in July at an event held by the Chatham House think tank.
He said his comments were not based on an official Ministry of Defence assessment.
The attack caused estimated economic damage of £1.6bn to £2.1bn, making it the most economically damaging cyberattack in UK history.
The UK government has not officially named those responsible, citing the ongoing investigation.
- Who
- Al Carns, a former UK armed forces minister, said the attack was state-sponsored.
- What
- A cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover disrupted production and caused major economic damage.
- When
- Carns made the remarks in July. The attack took place last year.
- Where
- Jaguar Land Rover was affected; Carns spoke at an event at Chatham House.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A New York Times investigation linked the attack to a Russian hacking group.
Carns said at a Chatham House event that the attack was state-sponsored.
Jaguar Land Rover halted production for five weeks after the cyberattack.
- Estimated damage
- £1.6bn to £2.1bn
- Minister
- Al Carns
- Event
- Chatham House
- Production halt
- Five weeks
- Official attribution
- The UK government has not officially named those responsible
3 sources
What people are saying
We know the Jaguar Land Rover attack was state-sponsored, etc, etc.
It would be highly unlikely for an attack of that scale to emanate from anywhere without the host state knowing about it