Chinese-linked hackers are targeting the Taiwanese semiconductor industry and investment analysts
as part of a string of cyber espionage campaigns, researchers said on Wednesday [July 16].
While hacking to steal data and information about the industry is not
new, there is an increase in sustained hacking campaigns from se
veral China-aligned hacking groups, researchers with cybersecurity firm Proofpoint said in a new analysis.
“We’ve seen entities that we hadn’t ever seen being targeted in t
he past being targeted,” said Mark Kelly, a threat researcher focused on Chinese-related threats at Proofpoint.
The previously unreported hacking campaigns were carried out
by at least three distinct Chinese-linked groups primarily betwee
n March and June of this year, with some activity likely ongoing, Proofpoint said. They come amid rising restrictions by Washington on exports to Chin
a of U.S.-designed chips that are often manufactured in Taiwan. China’s chip industry has been working t
o replace its dwindling supply of sophisticated U.S. chips, especially those used in artificial intelligence.
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The researchers declined to identify the hacking targets, but told Reuters that approximately 15 to 20 organizations ra
nging from small businesses, analysts employed by at least one U.S.-headquartered international bank, and large global enterprises faced attacks.
Major Taiwanese semiconductor firms include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., MediaTek, United
Microelectronics Corp., Nanya Technology, and RealTek Semiconductor. TSMC declined to comment. MediaTek, UMC, Nanya and RealTek did not respond to requests for comment.
Reuters was unable to identify the specific hacking targets or determine whether any of the efforts were successful.
A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told Reuters in an email that cyberattacks “are a c
ommon threat faced by all countries, China included,” and that the Asian country “firmly opposes and combats all forms of cyberattacks and cyber crime — a position that is consistent and clear.”
The activity ranged from one or two emails sent as part of the more targeted campaign focused on specific people, to as many as 80 emails when trying to gain information from the company at large, Kelly said.
One group targeted semiconductor design, manufacturing and supply-chain organizations using compromised Taiwanese university email accounts to pose as job seekers and send malware via PDFs with URLs leading to malicious files, or a password-protected archive.
Another targeted financial analysts at major unnamed investment firms focused on the Taiwanese semiconductor industry by posing as a fictitious investment firm and seeking collaboration. Two of the entities are based in Asia, while the third is based in the U.S. The FBI declined to comment.