A 2018 incident at TSMC was just one of multiple costly issues for the sector in recent years. The industry has since pulled together to collaborate on security standards and efforts.
Jul. 24, 2025 –
Cybersecurity has become imperative for chipmakers looking to protect their facilities and operations from rising threats. Otherwise, they are at risk of losing tens of millions of dollars from security incidents.
A single 12-inch wafer used in high-end applications — such as artificial intelligence, high performance computing, or automotive chips — can be worth upwards of $20,000. If production is interrupted during critical stages, like photolithography or plasma etching, thousands of wafers may be damaged. This can result in significant losses from wasted materials, extended downtime, delayed shipments and diminished customer confidence.
On Aug. 3, 2018, a WannaCry variant affected Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., disrupting both computer systems and manufacturing tools at multiple facilities in Taiwan. Several fabrication plants were forced to halt production and it took three days to recover approximately 80% of the affected equipment. In a 2018 report, TSMC says the virus led to nearly $84 million in losses for the third quarter.
While some in the industry have disputed his views, TSMC’s CEO C.C. Wei said at the time he didn’t expect any hacking and “this was purely our negligence.” At the time, a company spokesperson told Bank Info Security “this tool arrived at our facility with a virus already on it.”
The key lesson from this incident extended well beyond strengthening cybersecurity through technologies and processes. It underscored how critical security guidelines and successful implementation are across the chipmaking ecosystem.