The TSMC appears to be hacked by a version of WannaCry ransomware

TSMC hack events are related to an infamous ransomware virus

WannaCry strikes again - a new version attacks one of the biggest Taiwan companies - the TSMC.

As it is already known, the company called Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC in short)^[1] has recently faced a cyber attack. It was shut down by force last week and recovered only in a two-day period. However, experts did not know who is responsible for this cruelty until now. According to the latest reports, malware which is responsible for these events is an infamous WannaCry.^[2]

If you have been following cybersecurity news, you should remember WannaCry ransomware that has been actively infecting the Internet community since 2017. We all remember numerous businesses and companies that had been lead to various losses due to this harmful virus. The list of infected companies includes Boeing,^[3] Honda^[4] and other well-known representatives.

A closer look at the TSMC attack

It seems that the company was attacked by the new variant of WannaCry ransomware which managed to break through thousands of machines belonging to the corporation. At the moment, it is believed that the company suffered from the $256 million loss as the production of Apple^[5] semiconductors and various facilities were shut down unexpectedly. Factories, including Tainan, Hsinchu, and Taichung, were all shortly closed because of WannaCry.^[6]

TSMC says that the hacking process began during an important installation. However, what might look odd is that the cybercriminals did not demand any ransom for restoring corrupted data.

There were many speculations that TSMC will face huge losses because of the numerous iPhone shipment delays throughout the upcoming year. However, Bloomberg reports that this type of damage will not cause such harmful consequences as expected. Apple will face only a small amount of losses.

The evolution of the cyber threat

WannaCry was launched by North Korean hackers in May 2017. It managed to break through numerous devices, systems, and machines. The ransomware-type virus took action on various computer files by encrypting them with secret codes and turning data unusable in this way. The most surprising attack is related to the spying tool from the US National Security Agency.^[7]

Right after being launched, this malware spread at enormous speed. Numerous hospitals and companies faced data losses as the virus managed to break through their security systems and corrupt valuable files. At the moment, it is estimated that the damage caused by Wannacry is worth billions of dollars. However, it seems that it is not the end as one of the strongest virus has just returned with the TSMC hack.

Ransomware can affect all types of users

Even though the main targets of ransomware viruses are huge companies, hospitals, and factories, cybercrooks have also been actively distributing their harmful content to affect regular computer users. The internet is full of different ransomware forms that can affect you, your computer, files stored on that PC, and your money.

Despite the popularity of such viruses, you can still increase your security level by taking some extra steps to avoid these threats. Keep in mind that professional antivirus protection will keep your system safe from various infections. Furthermore, don't forget to store valuable data safely. If you keep copies of important documents in a cloud, external hard drive or even the USB drive, hackers will not be able to reach them.