Fired TSMC staff face national security charges over 2nm leak

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company terminated several employees after discovering unauthorized access to confidential 2nm manufacturing data during routine security audits. The company plans to begin full-scale 2nm wafer production next year across four domestic facilities with monthly output capacity reaching 60,000 units. Taiwan's High Prosecutors' Office will prosecute the case under the National Security Act of 2022, while the Intellectual Property Branch conducts further investigation into the breach's scope. Authorities are examining whether the theft poses a threat to national security, given TSMC's competition with Samsung and Rapidus in advanced semiconductor development. China's semiconductor industry could gain significant advantages from such information, given that SMIC remains restricted to 7nm processes due to U.S. export controls preventing access to advanced extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment.