Major Japanese semiconductor supplier hit by ransomware attack

• Advantest detected ransomware attack on February 15, isolating affected systems
• Investigation ongoing; unclear if customer or employee data was stolen
• Semiconductor industry increasingly targeted, following prior attacks on Microchip and Applied Materials

Japanese semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest has confirmed suffering a recent ransomware attack.

In a company press release, Advantest said on Sunday, February 15, it spotted “unusual activity” within its IT environment. It quickly activated its incident response protocols, isolating affected systems and engaging third-party cybersecurity experts to contain and mitigate the attack.

“Preliminary findings appear to indicate that an unauthorized third party may have gained access to portions of the company’s network and deployed ransomware,” the announcement reads.

Targeting the semiconductor industry

So far, the investigation is ongoing and Advantest does not know if any data was stolen, or how many people may have been affected.

“If our investigation determines that customer or employee data was affected, we will notify impacted persons directly and provide guidance on protective measures,” it explained. “This investigation is actively ongoing and is being carried out in close collaboration with leading cybersecurity experts. Advantest is focused on understanding the full extent of this incident while reinforcing all possible defenses.”

Advantest Corporation is a Tokyo-based Japanese technology company that designs and manufactures automatic test equipment (ATE) used to verify and measure advanced semiconductors and electronic components during manufacturing.

The company employs around 6,500 people worldwide and in 2024 had a net operating income of ¥161.2 billion ($1.04bn). Its biggest customers tend to be leading global semiconductor manufacturers and technology firms, such as major memory and logic chip makers in South Korea, Taiwan and elsewhere.

Cybercriminals have been increasingly targeting organizations in the semiconductor industry, The Record claims.

The attack on Advantest comes after the attack on Microchip back in 2024, and the incident at Applied Materials, the year prior. Before that, in 2022, both Chinese-owned Nexperia, and the Taiwanese Foxsemicon were reportedly struck with ransomware, as well.

Via The Record

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