Apple works with supplier Tata after sensitive files leak online

A new report from Reuters details how Apple and its Indian supplier, Tata Electronics, are responding to a massive data breach that exposed sensitive files earlier this month. Here are the details.

Tata and Apple investigate data breach

A few days ago, Tata Electronics confirmed that it fell victim to a cyberattack that, as reported by Reuters, stole confidential files from Apple and Tesla.

According to the report, more than 200,000 files totaling over 630GB were subsequently published on the dark web.

Reuters says the leak included Apple manufacturing specifications, quality inspection standards for iPhone circuit board components, emails, employee passport copies, and years of system logs.

Now, Reuters reports that Tata has moved to restrict “internal access to sensitive systems” as it investigates the leak, and has hired “a global consultant to conduct a forensic audit.”

Apple’s main supplier in India has also notified the local government and affected clients, though it did not publicly identify the companies involved.

In the report, Reuters notes that Apple is now also involved in the investigations:

Apple’s security ⁠team is working closely with Tata on near- and long-term measures following the incident, the person added.

With more information now at hand, the report says that “the leak also contains at least 16 files and folders of purported documents from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), and 23 from ⁠Qualcomm, both of which make parts used in iPhones.”

From today’s report:

One 2022 document, marked “TSMC Secret,” contained purported “product reliability test” details of a TSMC component with photographs. An “Apple Silicon Engineering Group” document from 2023 maps Apple parts numbers to TSMC’s numbers, with details of Apple employees in the document’s revision history.

A ⁠purported Qualcomm document from 2021 shows mechanical information on the functioning of a power management integrated circuit with drawings, watermarked “Confidential – May Contain Trade Secrets.”

Apple has yet to comment on the case publicly.

To read Reuters’ full report, follow this link.