'Entities involved say not much lost': IT Secy on probe into Tata Electronics cyber leak linked to Apple

The issue of an alleged data breach at Tata Electronics that reportedly exposed sensitive information related to Apple's unreleased iPhone model is currently under examination, and both entities are satisfied they haven't lost much on commercial parameters, IT Secretary S Krishnan said on Monday.

The government had earlier said that the incident was reported to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).

CERT-In is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents.


"We are studying what is happening on that issue. But on the commercial aspect, we understand that both the current entities involved are broadly satisfied that they have not lost anything... they are not very concerned about that. So this is what we understand from those entities," IT Secretary S Krishnan told reporters on Monday.

Krishnan's comment comes in the wake of reports that details of components and suppliers, along with Apple's iPhone 18 Pro model photos were put on the dark web by a ransomware group that allegedly stole data from Tata Electronics, an Apple supplier. Reports have claimed that sensitive internal information linked to the company was leaked online by threat actors.

Reuters has previously reported that the Tata Electronics leak of more than 200,000 files on the dark web by World Leaks had files with purported component design papers of older iPhones and some parts of Tesla - both Tata clients. They also included documents of Taiwan ⁠Semiconductor Manufacturing ‌Co and Qualcomm, both of which make parts used in iPhones.

New documents reviewed by Reuters show there are at least six files that map many components in the iPhone 18 Pro models to the specific company that supplies them. These include details of chips ⁠on its main circuit board and parts of the battery and cameras.

In all, the documents detail hundreds of parts to be on the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models.

For Apple and Tata, the breach cuts at the trust underpinning their partnership. Apple's move into India rests on its newest major assembler Tata, just as the company increasingly diversifies beyond China.

The bet has fast paid off: India is on track to make 26% of the world's iPhones in 2026, up from 6% four years ago, according to Counterpoint, a research firm.