Advantest Corporation confirms ransomware attack targeting its IT network

Japanese semiconductor testing giant Advantest Corporation said it is responding to a significant ransomware incident that affected its IT network on Thursday and gave third parties access to portions of its network.

 

The company said in a statement released on Friday that the cyber security incident occurred after an unauthorised third party gained access to portions of its IT network and deployed ransomware to lock out certain systems.

 

The company detected the attack on February 15 and immediately "activated its incident response protocols, isolated affected systems, and engaged leading third-party cybersecurity experts to assist in the investigation and containment of the incident."

 

Advantest manufactures automatic test and measurement equipment used in the design and production of semiconductors used for deployment in 5G communications, autonomous vehicles, high-performance computing and machine learning applications. Founded in 1954, the company also conducts research and development on emerging testing challenges and applications and develops advanced test-interface solutions for microchips.

 

The company said its investigation has not yet uncovered any compromise of personal or corporate data, but the situation remains fluid and the facts may change based on the findings of the investigation.

 

"This investigation is actively ongoing and is being carried out in close collaboration with leading cybersecurity experts. Advantest is focused on understanding the full extent of this incident while reinforcing all possible defenses," the company said.

 

"If our investigation determines that customer or employee data was affected, we will notify impacted persons directly and provide guidance on protective measures," it added.

 

No ransomware actor or group has claimed responsibility for the cyber attack on Advantest Corporation so far, and the company has also not shared the threat actor’s tactics, techniques, and procedures which could enable researchers to attribute the attack to a specific actor.