Apple supplier and leading semiconductor manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has been targeted by LockBit in a recent hack (via Bleeping Computer).
The chipmaker is, however, denying claims of a hack after the ransomware group demanded $70 million to prevent the release of stolen data.
TSMC is a global supplier of chips for devices like smartphones, high-performance computing systems, IoT devices, automotive components, and digital consumer electronics.
Recently, a threat actor known as Bassterlord, reportedly associated with LockBit, live-tweeted what seemed to be a ransomware attack on TSMC.
The tweets included screenshots showcasing access to TSMC systems, email addresses, application details, and internal system credentials.
Although the Twitter thread has been removed, the LockBit gang established a new entry on their data leak site specifically for TSMC. In their post, they demanded a massive sum of $70 million, threatening to disclose stolen data and credentials if their demand went unmet.
However, a spokesperson from TSMC clarified that the company’s systems remained uncompromised. Instead, the cyber incident affected one of TSMC’s IT hardware suppliers, Kinmax Technology.
The spokesperson stated that the leaked information was related to server initial setup and configuration, involving the breached supplier’s systems rather than TSMC’s own infrastructure.
The investigation into the cybersecurity breach is ongoing, with involvement from both TSMC and law enforcement authorities.
