M&S Hackers Claim to Be Behind Jaguar Land Rover Cyber Attack
A group of young English-speaking hackers, known as "Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters," has claimed responsibility for the recent cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) that has halted global production lines. The gang, who have also been linked to a wave of cyber attacks on UK retailers including M&S in the spring, are bragging about their hack on the messaging app Telegram, sharing screenshots apparently taken from inside JLR's IT networks.
The hackers, thought to be teens, posted a taunting message on Telegram, asking "Where is my new car, Land Rover?" The company has confirmed it is aware of the claims and is investigating. In private text conversations with one of the criminals, who claims to be a spokesperson for the group, they explained how the gang allegedly accessed JLR's systems.
According to the hacker, the gang gained access to JLR's internal systems and network through a combination of social engineering and exploit kits. However, it is unclear whether the hackers have successfully stolen private data from JLR or installed malicious software onto the company's network. The hacker refused to provide any more evidence, and given the nature of these types of criminal gangs, it is likely that they are exaggerating their claims for attention.
Security expert Kevin Beaumont has speculated that the screenshots posted by the group suggest that the criminals have access to information they should not have. "Based on the information provided by the attackers and open source intelligence, the attack has access to JLR's internal systems and network," Beaumont said.
The cyber attack has had a significant impact on JLR's operations, with car production at sites including the Halewood plant in Merseyside and another in Solihull heavily disrupted since the attack was discovered on Sunday. Staff have been sent home, and the company is working to get manufacturing back online.
"We took immediate action to mitigate its impact by proactively shutting down our systems," JLR said in a statement. "We are now working at pace to restart our global applications in a controlled manner." The company has not disclosed the nature of the attack, but has assured that there is no evidence any customer data has been stolen.
The hackers chose the name Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters to reflect the merging of various youth-orientated cyber criminals who are all associated with a network called The Com. This group is made up of hackers from notorious young hacking groups such as Shiny Hunters, Lapsus$, and Scattered Spider, all of whom emerged from The Com.
The Telegram channel used by the criminals now has nearly 52,000 subscribers, and the group has been bragging about hacks and sharing incomprehensible in-jokes for days. It's the fourth such Telegram channel as previous ones have been closed down.
The cyber attack on JLR is just the latest example of the growing threat from cyber criminals in The Com network. Earlier this year, the National Crime Agency warned of the increasing danger posed by these groups, and in July, four people were arrested in connection with high-profile attacks on M&S, Co-op, and Harrods.
As the world becomes increasingly reliant on technology, it's essential to take steps to keep your child safe online. What can you do to protect your family from cyber threats?
Stay Safe Online
* Teach children about online safety and the dangers of hacking * Monitor their online activity and set limits on social media use * Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication to secure accounts * Regularly update software and operating systems to prevent exploitation * Educate yourself on AI and how it works to stay ahead of emerging threats
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Note: The article has been rewritten to provide a detailed and engaging account of the cyber attack on Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) attributed to "Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters." It includes quotes from security experts, company statements, and information about the hackers' methods.