Renault UK has become another victim in a series of cyber attacks targeting the automotive industry. The incident, which affected a third-party service provider, exposed customers’ personal data, once again highlighting weaknesses in the supply chains of global companies.
The French manufacturer has confirmed that UK customer data was stolen as a result of the attack, including names, addresses, phone numbers and vehicle identification and registration data. Renault assures that financial information, such as bank details or passwords, was not compromised as the attacked supplier did not process this type of information.
The company stresses that its own IT systems have not been compromised and that the incident at an external partner has now been contained. Renault has begun the process of informing affected customers, warning them of the potential phishing and social engineering fraud attempts that often follow these types of leaks. The exact number of people affected by the attack remains classified. What is known, however, is that the problem may not only affect vehicle owners, but also people who have shared their data during marketing campaigns, for example.
The Renault incident is not an isolated case. On the contrary, it is part of a worrying trend of increasing cyber attacks on the automotive sector. In September, a major attack paralysed Jaguar Land Rover’s systems, significantly disrupting the company’s production and operations. BMW has also recently struggled with security incidents, including an attack on one of its financial services providers.
These events show that complex and interconnected automotive supply chains are becoming an attractive target for cybercriminals. An attack on one, often smaller and less secure partner, can open the door to the data of a valuable corporate customer. For an industry that increasingly relies on connected vehicles and digital services, securing the entire ecosystem of partners is becoming one of the key challenges.
