India Probes Tata Data Breach Exposing Apple's Unreleased iPhone Details
India's IT ministry has confirmed an investigation into a data breach at Tata Electronics, a supplier for Apple, after sensitive documents related to the unreleased iPhone 18 Pro were leaked online.
IT Secretary S. Krishnan told reporters on Thursday, 'We are investigating,' marking the government's first public acknowledgment of the incident. The breach has been reported to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the nation's nodal agency for cyber security incidents.
The compromised data, reportedly posted on the dark web by a ransomware group, includes component lists, supplier details, and images of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models. Reuters reported that the leaked files could expose parts of Apple's tightly controlled supply chain, which typically remains confidential.
Tata Electronics is among Apple's key manufacturing partners in India, and the breach threatens the highly sensitive business of assembling iPhones. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September this year, and the leak contains at least six files detailing which companies produce specific components for these models.
In response, Tata has hired a global consultant to conduct a forensic audit. The breach also involved documents related to other major firms, including Tesla, Qualcomm, and TSMC, according to reports.
Authorities are currently assessing the scale of the data exposure and potential security risks. The investigation aims to identify the perpetrators and prevent future incidents, as cyber attacks targeting high-tech supply chains continue to pose challenges globally.
