Leaked files reveal alleged iPhone 18 Pro supply chain details after Tata electronics cyberattack

Confidential files allegedly detailing Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro models have surfaced on the dark web following a ransomware attack on Tata Electronics, exposing what Reuters described as sensitive supplier information, internal component maps and photographs of prototype devices.

According to Reuters, the leaked documents identify companies supplying hundreds of components for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, including chips used on the main circuit board as well as battery and camera parts. The news agency said it reviewed documents showing at least six files linking specific suppliers to individual components in the devices.

Reuters reported that Apple considers such information highly sensitive because it does not publicly disclose which suppliers manufacture individual iPhone parts, even though it publishes a broader supplier list. A source familiar with the matter told the news agency Apple is concerned that the documents, which relate to unreleased products, have been shared on the dark web.

The files were reportedly obtained during a cyberattack on Tata Electronics, one of Apple's key manufacturing partners in India that both assembles iPhones and supplies components. Reuters previously reported that more than 200,000 files stolen by the ransomware group World Leaks had been published online, including purported design documents relating to older iPhone models, Tesla components and records linked to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Qualcomm.

Among the newly reviewed material are photographs said to show iPhones undergoing drop testing at a Tata Electronics facility in early 2026. Reuters said the images depict a grey, slab shaped handset featuring three rear cameras and the Apple logo. Although the news agency could not independently verify the model, a source identified the devices as iPhone 18 Pro units. Several files reportedly carried Apple's confidential watermarks and internal code names associated with the iPhone 18 Pro generation.

The leaked records also reportedly reveal where Apple sources components from multiple suppliers and where it relies on only a limited number of vendors, potentially exposing both the company's negotiating leverage and vulnerabilities within its supply chain.

Neither Apple nor Tata Electronics responded to Reuters' requests for comment. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the leaked data or obtain a response from World Leaks, the ransomware group that claimed responsibility for the breach and has previously claimed a cyberattack on Nike.

The report comes as Apple continues expanding its manufacturing footprint in India through Tata Electronics, a strategy central to the company's efforts to diversify production beyond China and aligned with India's ambition to become a global electronics manufacturing hub.

Reuters previously reported that Apple is investigating the breach alongside Tata Electronics, while the supplier has restricted employee access to sensitive systems and appointed a global consulting firm to conduct a forensic audit.

The latest disclosure also comes at a challenging time for Apple. The company increased prices of select iPad and MacBook models last week due to rising memory and storage chip costs, while analysts expect iPhone prices could also increase in the coming months. Separately, research firm Counterpoint estimates India will produce 26% of the world's iPhones in 2026, up from 6% four years earlier.