LAFAYETTE – Production shifts at Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., Greater Lafayette’s largest private employer, and Heartland Automotive, one of the Lafayette auto plant’s suppliers, resumed production Tuesday afternoon after canceling consecutive shifts earlier in the day and late Monday.
The reason for the lost shifts: “A supplier issue,” said Craig Koven, SIA spokesman.
Meanwhile, an FBI spokeswoman confirmed that the FBI Indianapolis Division was investigating cases of ransomware, in which attackers infect a computer system with malware that blocks its use until a ransom is paid.
"The FBI is aware of a ransomware attack and the significant impact that the attack has had on certain companies in the state of Indiana,” said Chris Bavender, spokeswoman with the FBI Indianapolis Division.
Whether the FBI investigation and the temporary plan shutdowns were directly connected was not immediately clear Tuesday, even after SIA and Heartland Automotive got back to work.
Asked about a possible connection, Bavender deferred. Bavender said Tuesday that due to the ongoing investigation, no other details would be released at that time.
Koven did not indicate what sort of supplier issue was causing problems at the SIA plant, where more than 5,600 employees produce close to 33,000 Subaru vehicles – including Outback, Legacy, Impreza and Ascent models – each month.
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