Semiwiki on LinkedIn Semiwiki on Facebook Semiwiki on Twitter Register / Log in 
Array
(
    [content] => 
    [params] => Array
        (
            [0] => /forum/index.php?threads/asml-tsmc-have-means-to-deactivate-chip-machines-if-china-invades-taiwan-report.20242/
        )

    [addOns] => Array
        (
            [DL6/MLTP] => 13
            [Hampel/TimeZoneDebug] => 1000070
            [SV/ChangePostDate] => 2010200
            [SemiWiki/Newsletter] => 1000010
            [SemiWiki/WPMenu] => 1000010
            [SemiWiki/XPressExtend] => 1000010
            [ThemeHouse/XLink] => 1000970
            [ThemeHouse/XPress] => 1010570
            [XF] => 2021370
            [XFI] => 1050270
        )

    [wordpress] => /var/www/html
)

ASML, TSMC have means to deactivate chip machines if China invades Taiwan - report

Daniel Nenni

Daniel Nenni

Admin
Staff member
ASML HQ.jpg


ASML Holding (AS:ASML) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) have mechanisms to disable their advanced chipmaking machines if China invades Taiwan, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.

The US government has been growing increasingly concerned about the potential escalation of Chinese aggression towards Taiwan, which produces most of the world's advanced semiconductors.

ASML has reassured Dutch officials about its ability to remotely disable its extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machines, which are crucial for producing the smallest microchip transistors used in AI and military applications. The Dutch government has conducted simulations to understand the risks better.

The EUV machines are the most sophisticated in the world and require regular maintenance and updates. This necessity allows ASML to remotely shut off the machines if needed, effectively acting as a kill switch.

The Veldhoven, Netherlands-based company is the sole manufacturer of EUV machines, which sell for over €200 million ($217 million) each.

ASML's technology is tightly controlled to prevent it from being used by rival nations. The Netherlands, under US pressure, prohibits the sale of EUV machines to China.

Recently, the Dutch government also began halting exports of ASML’s next-most advanced chipmaking machines due to US pressures, measures that are expected to impact up to 15% of ASML's sales to China this year.

ASML's EUV technology has made it Europe's most valuable tech stock, with a market capitalization exceeding $370 billion, more than double that of its client Intel Corp . (NASDAQ:INTC). Since the EUV machines were first developed in 2016, ASML has shipped over 200 units to clients outside China, with TSMC being the largest purchaser.

The need to maintain EUV machines very frequently presents a significant challenge, Bloomberg’s report states. Without ASML’s spare parts and on-site servicing, these machines would quickly become inoperative. Maintaining EUVs requires a clean room environment, where engineers must wear special suits to prevent contamination.

TSMC Chairman Mark Liu, in a September interview with CNN, suggested that any attempt to take control of Taiwan would result in the company's chipmaking machines becoming out of order.

“Nobody can control TSMC by force,” Liu said. “If there is a military invasion you will render TSMC factory non-operable.”

appleinsider.com

TSMC's Apple chip lines can be remotely disabled if China invades Taiwan

As saber-rattling about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan grows, two Apple suppliers have confirmed that they can scuttle chip production lines from outside the country, should the need arise.
appleinsider.com appleinsider.com
 
Why is that even needed？Is it much simpler to just attach remote-triggering bomb to these machines？
 
tonyget said:
Why is that even needed？Is it much simpler to just attach remote-triggering bomb to these machines？
Click to expand...
There are many reasons why a bomb would be a really bad idea. However, machines that cost as much as these do normally have a means for the manufacturer to get real-time telemetry for support reasons. Part of the embedded support software is usually a power down or reset function, and that can be used to disable the machine for any number of reasons. Even enterprise software often has security keys which allows it to be disabled remotely.
 
So western countries put backdoor controls in products that are in China, Taiwan, and the Intel US Fabs?

seems like a very bloomberg article. I recommend the UK Sun over bloomberg for solid semi reporting.
 
Daniel Nenni said:
View attachment 1928

ASML Holding (AS:ASML) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) have mechanisms to disable their advanced chipmaking machines if China invades Taiwan, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.

The US government has been growing increasingly concerned about the potential escalation of Chinese aggression towards Taiwan, which produces most of the world's advanced semiconductors.

ASML has reassured Dutch officials about its ability to remotely disable its extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machines, which are crucial for producing the smallest microchip transistors used in AI and military applications. The Dutch government has conducted simulations to understand the risks better.

The EUV machines are the most sophisticated in the world and require regular maintenance and updates. This necessity allows ASML to remotely shut off the machines if needed, effectively acting as a kill switch.

The Veldhoven, Netherlands-based company is the sole manufacturer of EUV machines, which sell for over €200 million ($217 million) each.

ASML's technology is tightly controlled to prevent it from being used by rival nations. The Netherlands, under US pressure, prohibits the sale of EUV machines to China.

Recently, the Dutch government also began halting exports of ASML’s next-most advanced chipmaking machines due to US pressures, measures that are expected to impact up to 15% of ASML's sales to China this year.

ASML's EUV technology has made it Europe's most valuable tech stock, with a market capitalization exceeding $370 billion, more than double that of its client Intel Corp . (NASDAQ:INTC). Since the EUV machines were first developed in 2016, ASML has shipped over 200 units to clients outside China, with TSMC being the largest purchaser.

The need to maintain EUV machines very frequently presents a significant challenge, Bloomberg’s report states. Without ASML’s spare parts and on-site servicing, these machines would quickly become inoperative. Maintaining EUVs requires a clean room environment, where engineers must wear special suits to prevent contamination.

TSMC Chairman Mark Liu, in a September interview with CNN, suggested that any attempt to take control of Taiwan would result in the company's chipmaking machines becoming out of order.

“Nobody can control TSMC by force,” Liu said. “If there is a military invasion you will render TSMC factory non-operable.”

appleinsider.com

TSMC's Apple chip lines can be remotely disabled if China invades Taiwan

As saber-rattling about a Chinese invasion of Taiwan grows, two Apple suppliers have confirmed that they can scuttle chip production lines from outside the country, should the need arise.
appleinsider.com appleinsider.com
Click to expand...

There is another truth if CCP dares to start a war against Taiwan, it will be a disaster not only for Taiwan but also for mainland China.

Using the semiconductor fabs as the example. Most (if not all) major fabs in mainland China are well within various Taiwan missiles' ranges. PRC's semiconductor fabs will become ruins if a war starts.
 
Last edited:
Equipment vendors have no remote connection or access to the tools once installed in a fab, unless explicitly authorized by the fab. Of course, hacking through the fab's network and internet connections to access the tools is a different story but is criminal behavior.

Easiest ways to destroy a fab are by fire (smoke contaminates gets into everything) or by flooding the fab with water.
 
Jert said:
Equipment vendors have no remote connection or access to the tools once installed in a fab, unless explicitly authorized by the fab. Of course, hacking through the fab's network and internet connections to access the tools is a different story but is criminal behavior.

Easiest ways to destroy a fab are by fire (smoke contaminates gets into everything) or by flooding the fab with water.
Click to expand...
Of course the network access would be authorized, and probably on a dedicated VPN. The question is, is the article correct? I do agree with MKW, Bloomberg is not the best source. They were the bozos who were convinced China was placing spy chips on a management bus in Supermicro motherboards in 2015. And other sources like The Register were convinced it “Really, really happened!” It was great clickbait.
 
blueone said:
Of course the network access would be authorized, and probably on a dedicated VPN. The question is, is the article correct? I do agree with MKW, Bloomberg is not the best source. They were the bozos who were convinced China was placing spy chips on a management bus in Supermicro motherboards in 2015. And other sources like The Register were convinced it “Really, really happened!” It was great clickbait.
Click to expand...
AFAIK, fabs internets are all behind firewall. Even the wifis are under restricted control. tsmc got burned in last virus attack and more controls are set.
This report is something like some American Politicians said they definitely will protect Taiwan. All of them are talk-the-talk without written commitment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top