NEW DELHI, India: Tata Electronics said on June 22 that it had identified a cybersecurity incident after a ransomware group posted what researchers said were purported documents for Apple and Tesla components on the dark web.

The group, World Leaks, has published more than 200,000 files totaling over 630 gigabytes, according to two cybersecurity researchers who reviewed the material for Reuters.

"A few weeks ago, Tata Electronics identified a cybersecurity incident on some of our systems. Our response protocols were deployed immediately, and the incident has had no impact on our operations across businesses, which remain unaffected," Tata Electronics said in a statement.

Apple is investigating the breach and conducting a full analysis, a source familiar with the matter said. The source added that Tata had received a ransom demand connected to the incident.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment. Tata Electronics declined to comment on the reported ransom demand.

Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the data posted by World Leaks or reach the group for comment.

The dark website said the material included more than 200,000 files, including folders and documents apparently connected to Apple. Some were titled "com.apple.factorydata" and referred to "material specification."

Indian cybersecurity researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia, who reviewed the files, said they also appeared to include emails, event logs spanning several years, and passport copies of employees, including foreign nationals.

A second researcher, Rakesh Krishnan, said the data had been available on the dark web since at least June 10.

Tata Electronics is becoming one of Apple's most important manufacturing partners outside China as India expands its electronics sector under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to make the country a global production hub.

Tata currently accounts for roughly one-third of Apple's iPhone production in India, with Foxconn producing the rest. The company informed some employees at its iPhone assembly operations about the breach last week, according to a second industry source familiar with the matter.

Tata also makes parts for Tesla, according to industry sources. Researchers reviewing the leaked material said one folder was labeled "NV36 Chargeport Controller - North America," a purported reference to components used in an upgraded Tesla Model Y.

Another purported Tesla document from 2023 was described as "TRADE SECRET" and included drawings linked to Project Highland, the publicly known internal codename for Tesla's redesigned Model 3 sedan.

Some documents carried footers stating that they contained confidential, proprietary information belonging to Apple or Tesla, researchers said.

Neither Tesla nor India's Computer Emergency Response Team immediately responded to requests for comment.