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Apple’s trusted chipmaker partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), recently announced that it had been hit by a data breach originating from one of its third-party suppliers. The breach, which has been claimed by the notorious ransomware group LockBit, has put TSMC in a challenging situation as the hackers demand a hefty ransom of $70 million in exchange for not leaking the stolen data.
According to a report from TechCrunch, TSMC confirmed the occurrence of the cybersecurity incident through a statement issued by one of its spokespersons. The breach itself took place at Kinmax Technology, an IT hardware supplier for TSMC. TSMC clarified that the compromised data relates to “information pertinent to server initial setup and configuration,” assuring that customer information remains unaffected.
TSMC, being a key player in Apple’s supply chain and the manufacturer of all Apple Silicon processors, has established a robust business relationship with the tech giant. However, it’s important to note that this particular breach does not impact Apple’s customer information.
The chipmaker assured stakeholders that the incident has had no adverse effects on its day-to-day operations or compromised any sensitive customer data. In line with their security protocols and standard operating procedures, TSMC promptly severed all data exchanges with Kinmax Technology after the breach was discovered.
Kinmax Technology, the supplier responsible for the breach, conveyed additional details about the incident in a letter addressed to TSMC and other affected customers. According to the letter, the company detected an attack on its internal testing environment on the morning of June 29, 2023. As a result, certain information was leaked, primarily consisting of system installation preparations that were provided to customers as default configurations.
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It’s worth mentioning that Kinmax Technology also collaborates with other prominent industry players such as HPE, Cisco, Microsoft, Citrix, and VMware, as reported by TechCrunch. However, TSMC appears confident that no customer data has been compromised, assuaging concerns surrounding potential breaches affecting its partners.
As of now, Apple has not released an official statement regarding this data breach. Given the company’s tendency to maintain a tight-lipped approach when it comes to security incidents, it is unlikely that Apple will provide any further details. Nevertheless, TSMC’s reassurance that customer data remains unaffected brings some solace amid this breach.
While TSMC takes appropriate measures to address the breach and protect its operations, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat posed by cybercriminals. As technology companies continue to expand their supply chains and work with numerous third-party vendors, ensuring robust cybersecurity practices throughout the ecosystem becomes imperative to safeguard sensitive data and maintain consumer trust.
