It is no secret: \u00a0espionage\u00a0 is very present in the \u00a0semiconductor industry\u00a0. It is common in various sectors, and we can be sure that a strategic industry such as integrated circuits \u00a0is not at all immune\u00a0 to it. On this occasion, “the victim” is the Taiwanese company \u00a0TSMC\u00a0, the largest integrated circuit manufacturer on the planet. Curiously, this plot of industrial espionage arrives at a crucial time.<\/p>\n
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This company is about to start \u00a0large-scale manufacturing\u00a0 of chips using its most advanced integration technology: the \u00a02 Nm\u00a0 nodes. What we know at the moment is that, according to Reuters<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to Nikkei Asia<\/a>, the culprits include two employees and one former employee who obtained critical information related to the \u00a0photolithography technology\u00a0 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<\/a> reports that researchers have conducted searches at the Japanese company \u00a0Tokyo Electron\u00a0. As of now, this company has not issued any confirmation or denial regarding the matter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our next protagonist is \u00a0ASML\u00a0, a Dutch company that stands as the sole manufacturer of \u00a0extreme ultraviolet (EUV)\u00a0 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 \u00a0Huawei\u00a0 with the intention of leaking confidential ASML technology. This exposure to potential information theft raised considerable alarms within the organization.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to Dutch media, Russia has significant advantages: they have spies inside ASML.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n 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 \u00a0enormous complexity\u00a0 inherent in the most advanced lithography systems produced by ASML.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Toward the end of last year, ASML became a victim once again in a separate espionage case. In this instance, the \u00a0Russian government\u00a0, directed by Vladimir Putin, aims to develop a prototype of EUV lithography equipment capable of manufacturing \u00a0130 Nm chips\u00a0 by 2026 and similar technology for \u00a07 Nm integrated circuits\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lastly, let\u2019s discuss an espionage plot involving the \u00a0South Korean company SK Hynix\u00a0 and \u00a0Huawei\u00a0. 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 \u00a0semiconductor manufacturing processes\u00a0 to provide it to Huawei. This employee printed \u00a03,000 pages\u00a0 of technical documents, which raised immediate suspicion within the company. He now faces a potential \u00a018 years in prison\u00a0.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image | TSMC<\/a><\/p>\n More information | Reuters<\/a> | Nikkei Asia<\/a><\/p>\n In Xataka | South Korea fears US reprisals. To avoid their old lithography equipment, they take dust in a warehouse.<\/p>\nOther Industrial Espionage Cases That Have Made Headlines<\/h2>\n