Former employee of Tokyo Electron subsidiary allegedly involved in data breach
Tokyo Electron Ltd., a prominent Japanese chipmaking equipment manufacturer, is currently embroiled in a high-stakes intellectual property theft scandal. According to reports by the Taiwanese newspaper United Daily News, a former employee of Tokyo Electron's Taiwanese subsidiary allegedly leaked confidential information regarding Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s (TSMC) cutting-edge 2-nanometer (2nm) chip process.
The former employee, who had previously worked for TSMC, is said to have met an engineer from the company at a cafe and requested the display of confidential data on a laptop. The individual then reportedly took numerous photos of this sensitive information.
The theft targeted TSMC's most advanced chips, which boast a 2-nanometer circuit line width. These chips are slated for mass production this year. TSMC promptly notified Taiwanese law enforcement upon detecting the breach, leading to searches of Tokyo Electron's subsidiary in the city of Hsinchu, located in Taiwan's northern area.
Tokyo Electron confirmed that it dismissed the employee in question and is fully cooperating with authorities. However, due to the ongoing judicial review and confidential nature of the investigation, the company is unable to disclose more details.
Investigations have revealed that around nine suspects are involved, including ex-employees of both Tokyo Electron and TSMC. The company's internal investigation did not find evidence of the shared confidential information being passed on to external parties beyond the initial leak.
This incident underscores the risks to intellectual property security within the global semiconductor supply chain, particularly as Japan and Taiwan are key players and geopolitical tensions influence the industry. Tokyo Electron's role as an equipment supplier crucial for chip manufacturing process steps such as wafer etching and coating intensifies the scrutiny on its Taiwan operations.
Tokyo Electron has taken disciplinary action and is managing the fallout among customers and governments. The company is committed to upholding the integrity of its operations and ensuring the protection of confidential information.
[1] Taiwanese newspaper United Daily News [2] Tokyo Electron Ltd. official statement [3] Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. official statement [4] Taiwanese authorities' statement on the investigation
The Taiwanese newspaper United Daily News reported that the leaked data, containing sensitive information about TSMC's 2-nanometer chip process, was captured in the form of numerous photos. The media coverage of this intellectual property theft scandal has underscored the importance of data-and-cloud-computing security within the global semiconductor industry. As the investigation continues, general-news outlets will likely provide updates on Tokyo Electron's cooperation with Taiwanese authorities and any findings related to crime-and-justice aspects of the case.
