- Advantest detected ransomware attacks on February 15 and isolated affected systems
- Investigation ongoing; unclear if customer or employee data was stolen
- The semiconductor industry is increasingly targeted after previous attacks on Microchip and Applied Materials
Japanese semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest has confirmed that they are suffering from a recent ransomware attack.
In a company press release, Advantest said on Sunday, February 15, that it detected “unusual activity” in its IT environment. It quickly activated its incident response protocols, isolated affected systems and engaged third-party cybersecurity experts to contain and mitigate the attack.
“Preliminary findings suggest that an unauthorized third party may have gained access to parts of the company’s network and deployed ransomware,” the announcement reads.
Targeted semiconductor industry
For now, 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 affected individuals directly and provide guidance on safeguards,” it explained. “This investigation is actively underway and is being conducted in close collaboration with leading cybersecurity experts. Advantest is focused on understanding the full scope of this incident while strengthening 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 about 6,500 people worldwide and by 2024 had net operating income of ¥161.2 billion ($1.04 billion). Its largest customers tend to be leading global semiconductor manufacturers and technology companies, such as major memory and logic chip makers in South Korea, Taiwan and elsewhere.
Cybercriminals are 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 before. Before that, in 2022, both Chinese-owned Nexperia and Taiwan’s Foxsemicon were also reportedly hit by ransomware.
Via The record
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