TSMC initiates legal action on potential trade secret breach

After detecting unauthorized activities during routine monitoring, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) has launched legal proceedings and taken disciplinary action against employees involved in potential trade secret leaks. The world's largest chip foundry said that its "comprehensive and robust monitoring mechanisms" enabled early identification of the issue, leading to swift internal investigations and strict measures against the personnel involved.

As per latest reports, Taiwanese authorities have detained three people for allegedly stealing technology trade secrets from TSMC.

TSMC earlier reported that an internal investigation had shown that former and current employees had illegally obtained information from the company, Taiwan High Prosecutors Office said in a statement. The three who have been detained - two current staff and one former employee - are suspected of violating Taiwan's national security law, it added. It did not disclose their identities apart from saying that the former staffer was surnamed Chen.

The prosecutor’s office said another two people had been released on bail, and one more had been released.

There were no immediate details on the suspected motives or whether any information had been passed on, and investigations are ongoing to determine the scope of the leak and whether any others were involved, a Nikkei Asia report said.