It is no secret: espionage is very present in the semiconductor industry . It is common in various sectors, and we can be sure that a strategic industry such as integrated circuits is not at all immune to it. On this occasion, “the victim” is the Taiwanese company TSMC , the largest integrated circuit manufacturer on the planet. Curiously, this plot of industrial espionage arrives at a crucial time.
This company is about to start large-scale manufacturing of chips using its most advanced integration technology: the 2 Nm nodes. What we know at the moment is that, according to Reuters, Taiwanese authorities have arrested three TSMC employees for allegedly stealing commercial secrets from this company. As expected, TSMC itself is behind these detentions, as confirmed by the Taiwan Superior Prosecutor’s Office in a recent statement.
According to Nikkei Asia, the culprits include two employees and one former employee who obtained critical information related to the photolithography technology for the 2 Nm chips. This information is extremely valuable, potentially enabling a competitor to enhance its semiconductor manufacturing processes. Investigations have yet to confirm whether this stolen information has reached another company, but United Daily News reports that researchers have conducted searches at the Japanese company Tokyo Electron . As of now, this company has not issued any confirmation or denial regarding the matter.
Other Industrial Espionage Cases That Have Made Headlines
Our next protagonist is ASML , a Dutch company that stands as the sole manufacturer of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography machines essential for producing cutting-edge chips. At the end of 2023, Peter Wennink, then CEO of ASML, disclosed that an employee of Chinese origin had left the company in 2022 after being recruited by Huawei with the intention of leaking confidential ASML technology. This exposure to potential information theft raised considerable alarms within the organization.
According to Dutch media, Russia has significant advantages: they have spies inside ASML.
This incident was so severe that ASML executives decided to include it in their 2022 annual report. Wennink was obligated to clarify the situation in a meeting with investors, revealing that the information stolen by the former employee was “partial.” He described it as “one piece in a puzzle whose box is not in your power,” reflecting the enormous complexity inherent in the most advanced lithography systems produced by ASML.
Toward the end of last year, ASML became a victim once again in a separate espionage case. In this instance, the Russian government , directed by Vladimir Putin, aims to develop a prototype of EUV lithography equipment capable of manufacturing 130 Nm chips by 2026 and similar technology for 7 Nm integrated circuits by 2028. Though seemingly far-fetched, recent reports suggest that, like China, Russia has infiltrated ASML. A former employee of Russian descent was arrested, suspected of stealing vital commercial secrets.
Lastly, let’s discuss an espionage plot involving the South Korean company SK Hynix and Huawei . In mid-April 2024, a former SK Hynix employee of Chinese descent was apprehended at a South Korean airport as he attempted to enter the country. The allegation against him was grave: he was suspected of stealing confidential information regarding semiconductor manufacturing processes to provide it to Huawei. This employee printed 3,000 pages of technical documents, which raised immediate suspicion within the company. He now faces a potential 18 years in prison .
Image | TSMC
More information | Reuters | Nikkei Asia
In Xataka | South Korea fears US reprisals. To avoid their old lithography equipment, they take dust in a warehouse.