Chip Testing Giant Advantest Hit by Ransomware

Japanese chip testing giant Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857) has been targeted in a ransomware attack.

Advantest makes automatic test equipment for the semiconductor industry. It serves major chipmakers such as Intel, Samsung, and TSMC.

In a statement published on its website on Thursday, Advantest said it detected an IT network intrusion on February 15 and immediately activated incident response protocols.

The company has shared little information about the cybersecurity incident.

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

It’s unclear if the attackers exfiltrated any sensitive information from the company.

“If our investigation determines that customer or employee data was affected, we will notify impacted persons directly and provide guidance on protective measures,” Advantest noted.

No known ransomware group appears to have taken credit for the attack on Advantest. However, given that the intrusion was detected less than one week ago, the threat actor may still be hoping to obtain a ransom from the victim before posting it on a leak website.

It’s not uncommon for threat actors to target the semiconductor industry. Major companies have confirmed being hit by ransomware in recent years, including Nexperia, TSMC, Microchip Technology, and Foxsemicon.

The attack on Advantest came just months after the Japanese government issued new operational technology (OT) security guidance for semiconductor factories.

This article was published by Security Week. Please check their website for the original content.