A hacker is attempting to sell personal information allegedly belonging to approximately 46,000 current and former employees of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). The chipmaker has acknowledged that employee records were exposed but says its internal systems show no evidence of compromise.
The incident became public after a seller advertised what they described as 6.9GB of confidential employee information on underground hacking forums. The individual demanded three Bitcoin for the dataset and reportedly threatened to release the information publicly if no buyer emerged within a week.
To support the claims, the seller published a sample containing records associated with 499 employees. The information reportedly included residential addresses, identification details, banking information, contact numbers, and emergency contact details. However, the authenticity and completeness of the entire advertised dataset have not been independently established.
TSMC addressed the incident on November 12, 2026, confirming that information relating to some current and former personnel had appeared on an external website without authorization.
The company traced the exposed records to information stored within the services of an external cloud provider. It emphasized that investigators had not discovered evidence of unauthorized access to TSMC’s own infrastructure.
Importantly, the manufacturer said the affected information was unrelated to semiconductor production, business operations, or customer data. There is currently no indication that proprietary chip designs, manufacturing technology, or customer-related records were involved.
Although the company confirmed the unauthorized disclosure, it did not validate the hacker’s claimed total of 46,000 records or the reported 6.9GB volume. TSMC also has not publicly identified the cloud service provider or explained how the information was initially obtained.
The exposed information could present risks for affected employees, particularly where banking details, identification numbers, and contact information are involved. Such records can potentially be exploited for identity fraud or targeted phishing attempts, although no related fraudulent activity has been confirmed.
TSMC has begun notifying affected personnel and providing assistance. The company is coordinating with the cloud service provider, relevant investigative authorities, and an independent cybersecurity organization to establish the circumstances surrounding the disclosure.