Apple Supplier TSMC Recovering From 'Debilitating' Computer Virus [Updated x2]

[DailySlow]

If it’s anything like the problems that occur at my work when our CNC Network goes down then I will say it will be more like a week, and that’s if they know for certain how to fix it.

Yes device by device, then total first product verification. Ugh.

 

[onigami]

I guess the trade war's gone asymmetrical...

 

[DNichter]

You are always a confident person.

I try not to worry too much about things I can't control. Plus, there's delay rumors every year and they rarely are true.

 

[bookwormsy]

placing blame for the virus attack on a variant of the 2017 WannaCry ransomware.

Seriously‽ I honestly don’t understand how **** like this is still a problem. After all the publicity with WannaCry, how has any decent sysadmin not done any threat defense and mitigation actions, even just for this single exploit‽

 

[shplock]

These SCADA networks need to be better protected. I've seen so many that are simply routeable subnets from the internal subnets.
Article states it was from "misoperation" during software installation. How can you attribute this to a competitor doing something?

Because TMSC said it was a variant of the Wanacry virus which means that it is deliberate. You can not accidentally do something in software and then you end up with a virus that takes down nearly all your machines. Not unless there is something deliberate there.
An employee might have clicked on a file they should not have done and accidentally run the virus. That would account for the misoperation part. But nothing in the story accounts for how the virus got there in the first place.
The fact that the tool that was likely infected came from a unidentified source means it could thus be some nefarious actor or competitor.

 

[gnasher729]

An unidentified vendor? More like an "unidentified ex-vendor".

 

[macduke]

“We are surprised and shocked,” Wei told reporters. “We have installed tens of thousands of tools before, and this is the first time this happened.”

They're shocked? They installed TENS OF THOUSANDS of pieces of software onto Windows PCs and they are shocked that they just now got a virus? I am shocked that this hasn't happened before. Why so much software holy crap!

 

[belvdr]

Because TMSC said it was a variant of the Wanacry virus which means that it is deliberate. You can not accidentally do something in software and then you end up with a virus that takes down nearly all your machines. Not unless there is something deliberate there.
An employee might have clicked on a file they should not have done and accidentally run the virus. That would account for the misoperation part. But nothing in the story accounts for how the virus got there in the first place.
The fact that the tool that was likely infected came from a unidentified source means it could thus be some nefarious actor or competitor.

Never said it wasn't a competitor. I'm saying that's not the only possible source.

 

[klunernet]

An unidentified vendor? More like an "unidentified ex-vendor".

Unlikely. There are not many players at that level. If this where to happen again, perhaps the verdor would be in trouble, but If there is no alternative for what the vendor offers, which is likely, you cannot do more then claim loss of revenue compensation. Plus TSMC should have had procedures in place to prevent this from being able to happen, arguably. SCADA networks operate vastly different, but you can still monitor what happens on them, and strange behavior should be noticeable.

 

[mi7chy]

Shame there are simple network design changes that have been around for nearly a decade that puts a stop to malware propagation.

TSMC will fall further behind Samsung as a result of this complacency.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Samsung needed more production.

Anyone with 10yr of corporate security and espionage experience have a polished resume for TSMC?

Let's hope TSMC prioritized their production for the upcoming A12 chips vs Qualcomm.

 

[Ulfric]

Probably Intel involved with this.

 

[Kaledatheone]

Wait and see what effects come from this. I read elsewhere TMSC has been making the A12 CPU for quite a while at this point - so Apple should already have a bunch of the CPU's on hand for the new iPhones.

Hard to believe this may not cause a shortage at launch. How long this impact persists is the bigger question.

 

[AppleFan910]

Probably Samsung and or Qualcomm.
[doublepost=1533594335][/doublepost]

These SCADA networks need to be better protected. I've seen so many that are simply routeable subnets from the internal subnets.
Article states it was from "misoperation" during software installation. How can you attribute this to a competitor doing something?

How would “misoperation” cause such a catastrophic virus???

 

[belvdr]

Probably Samsung and or Qualcomm.
[doublepost=1533594335][/doublepost]
How would “misoperation” cause such a catastrophic virus???

Maybe executing a binary that is infected?

 

[Brandhouse]

Why the plug for Sky which is still in beta testing? Shouldn't that be called out, or are we now having product endorsements in MR articles?

 

[Erasmus]

I hope they have backups, and didn't pay the ransom.

 

[magicschoolbus]

Probably China.

 

[bushman4]

This most likely a precursor to a forthcoming event. TSMC needs to tighten its Cybersecurity outlook if they want to survive and play with big customers like Apple, SAmsung, LG etc.

 

[ulyssesric]

This stories tells us not to use Windows for critical tasks.