Japanese Company Staff Implicated In Alleged Theft of Key TSMC Technology (cnn.com)
(Saturday August 09, 2025 @11:34AM (BeauHD)
from the trade-secrets dept.)
- Reference: 0178619160
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/08/08/2335203/japanese-company-staff-implicated-in-alleged-theft-of-key-tsmc-technology
- Source link: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/asia/taiwan-tsmc-staff-detained-trade-secrets-intl-hnk
[1]hackingbear shares a report from CNN:
> Taiwanese authorities have detained three current and former employees of the world's largest chip manufacturer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), for [2]allegedly stealing trade secrets [and taking them to Japanese company Tokyo Electrons, prosecutors said Tuesday. Law enforcement officers questioned several suspects and witnesses late last month. They searched their homes and detained three of them over "serious suspicions of violating national security laws," the intellectual property branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office said on Tuesday. After an internal investigation, the major Taiwanese exporter raised suspicions with authorities that its "core technologies" may have been illegally accessed by former and current staffers.
>
> Nikkei Asia first reported on Tuesday that TSMC had fired staffers suspected of illegally obtaining business secrets related to the manufacturing technology for the company's 2-nanometer chip, the most advanced processor in the semiconductor industry that is expected to go into mass production this year. Taiwanese local media reported that a former TSMC employee now works at top chip manufacturing equipment supplier Tokyo Electron Ltd., and that the Japanese firm's Taiwan office was raided by investigators. On Thursday, Tokyo Electron confirmed it had dismissed an employee of its Taiwan subsidiary who was involved in the case, and said the company was cooperating with authorities. "As of now, based upon the findings of our internal investigation we have not confirmed any evidence of the respective confidential information shared to any third parties," it said in a statement.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~hackingbear
[2] https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/asia/taiwan-tsmc-staff-detained-trade-secrets-intl-hnk
> Taiwanese authorities have detained three current and former employees of the world's largest chip manufacturer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), for [2]allegedly stealing trade secrets [and taking them to Japanese company Tokyo Electrons, prosecutors said Tuesday. Law enforcement officers questioned several suspects and witnesses late last month. They searched their homes and detained three of them over "serious suspicions of violating national security laws," the intellectual property branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office said on Tuesday. After an internal investigation, the major Taiwanese exporter raised suspicions with authorities that its "core technologies" may have been illegally accessed by former and current staffers.
>
> Nikkei Asia first reported on Tuesday that TSMC had fired staffers suspected of illegally obtaining business secrets related to the manufacturing technology for the company's 2-nanometer chip, the most advanced processor in the semiconductor industry that is expected to go into mass production this year. Taiwanese local media reported that a former TSMC employee now works at top chip manufacturing equipment supplier Tokyo Electron Ltd., and that the Japanese firm's Taiwan office was raided by investigators. On Thursday, Tokyo Electron confirmed it had dismissed an employee of its Taiwan subsidiary who was involved in the case, and said the company was cooperating with authorities. "As of now, based upon the findings of our internal investigation we have not confirmed any evidence of the respective confidential information shared to any third parties," it said in a statement.
[1] https://slashdot.org/~hackingbear
[2] https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/asia/taiwan-tsmc-staff-detained-trade-secrets-intl-hnk
What if people cooperated? (Score:2)
by blue trane ( 110704 )
Do we create conflict based on hallucinated things like nationality just to create drama so we can feel outraged?
Re: (Score:2)
by ndsurvivor ( 891239 )
Yes.
Funny how these people always steal data (Score:5, Interesting)
by gweihir ( 88907 )
The legal way to do it is just selling their knowledge, by changing employers. But I guess these are people that have access to the data, but do not really understand it. That very much limits the value of that data though, because it is not simply following a recipe. There is much more involved.
Re: (Score:2)
by ItsJustAPseudonym ( 1259172 )
Sure, but even knowing that specific things are possible and useful can be a large contributor to success. Pieces of the puzzle are helpfu.
Re: (Score:2)
by ItsJustAPseudonym ( 1259172 )
"...helpful."
I mean, maybe "helpfu" is a thing, too.
2nm ... respect!! (Score:2)
I am not certain if arresting people is the right approach. If Intel can not even make 4nm, I suspect that the "recipe" of TSMC is more than can be put in a procedure book, they must have some fiercely loyal, hard working people that is making shit happen.