In the wake of Jaguar Land Rover’s cyberattack, production has been halted across its UK plants and suppliers, with reports suggesting the disruption could stretch well into October.

What started as an IT shutdown has now escalated into a crisis costing tens of millions a day, with the effects felt by more than 100,000 employees.

This latest incident in a spate of high profile cyberattacks highlights how even the most established manufacturers remain vulnerable, and the need for in-built resilience in digital commerce as well as production.

With M&S facing similar disruption earlier this year – what will it take for businesses to finally learn?

When a disruption of this magnitude strikes, it shows how even the most established brands can be brought to a standstill by vulnerabilities in their critical systems. For Jaguar Land Rover, reports suggest the impact may last well into October, a reminder that these aren’t short-lived hiccups but events that can seriously affect a company’s employees.

The scale of this incident goes far beyond one manufacturer. With more than 100,000 employees across JLR’s supply chain, the shockwaves are being felt throughout the entire ecosystem. At the end of that chain lies the consumer, where ecommerce and direct-to-customer channels risk delay, missed expectations, and potentially weakened brand loyalty.

In today’s environment, resilience is as valuable as innovation. Building multiple layers of contingency – not just in production, but in digital commerce platforms, customer interfaces, and data security – is essential to keep operations and customer engagement moving when unforeseen challenges strike. The businesses that come out stronger are those who anticipate disruption and design for continuity from the factory floor to the online checkout.