Last-minute leak before September release! Apple Inc. (AAPL.US) India manufacturing plant hacked, iPhone 18 Pro supply chain secrets exposed.

In response to a data breach incident at Tata Electronics, an Indian manufacturing plant for Apple Inc. (AAPL.US), details of components, supplier lists, and photos of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro model have been leaked on the dark web. A ransomware group called "World Leaks" has released over 200,000 files from Tata Electronics on the dark web, including alleged component design and specification files for Apple Inc. and Tesla, Inc. The leaked data also includes files from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Sponsored ADR (TSM.US) and Qualcomm (QCOM.US), both companies that manufacture components for the iPhone. This cyber security breach may threaten the relationship between Apple Inc. and Tata, as Tata has emerged as a key manufacturing partner for the iPhone maker outside of China. The leak may also expose trade secrets to competitors and counterfeiters. At least six leaked files match many components of the iPhone 18 Pro model with their corresponding supplier companies. These include chip details on the main circuit board, as well as components of the battery and camera. An insider said that Apple Inc. considers these details sensitive and does not disclose them in its public supplier database. The leaked files also reveal whether certain components are sourced from multiple suppliers or just a few, indicating Apple Inc.'s bargaining power and vulnerabilities. A source stated that many leaked files have an Apple Inc. "confidential" watermark and internal codenames matching the iPhone 18 Pro generation. Photos of iPhone drop tests conducted at a Tata factory were also leaked, depicting the iPhone 18 Pro model. It is worth noting that Apple Inc. is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max in September. Tata Electronics stated last week: "A few weeks ago, Tata Electronics discovered that some of our systems had experienced a cybersecurity incident. Our emergency response protocols were immediately activated, and the incident did not impact the operations of our various business sectors, which continue to operate unaffected." Apple Inc. is investigating the unauthorized leak incident but has not responded to requests for comment.