Sensitive technical material from ASML, NXP, TSMC and GlobalFoundries was secretly supplied to Russia by a man named German A, NRC reported.
The 43 year old man supplied sensitive information and materials, including semiconductor production manuals and various chipmaking machines to Russia allegedly to assist in building a 28nm-capable fab.
German A. earned approximately €40,000 through this scheme and now faces a prison sentence of 18 to 32 months. While German A alone could not steal complete semiconductor designs, a coordinated effort by a group could potentially enable semiconductor production in Russia.
During the investigation, authorities reportedly uncovered that he had obtained 105 internal documents from ASML and 88 files pertaining to TSMC.
Stolen Information
The materials did not include detailed plans for wafer fabrication equipment or anything more substantial, such as a fab or how to create a process technology. Nonetheless, they were designated confidential and might allow the establishment of a basic semiconductor line capable of producing chips using 28nm-class process technology - suitable for military applications.
Investigators suspect he shared this material through cloud storage and messaging applications before transferring it via USB stick in Moscow, receiving an estimated €40,000 in the process.
According to reports, German A. was also involved in an attempt to purchase a chemical vapor deposition instrument, possibly as part of plans to equip a future chip plant in Russia. However, according to the allegations, the equipment was initially diverted to Israel and was never delivered.
Prior Breaches
Previously, both ASML and NXP faced intrusions involving unauthorized access. In 2023, it was revealed that a cyber gang linked to China had been operating discreetly within NXP's systems for a long time.
ASML had also faced periodic cyberattacks and insider threats. In 2022, a former Chinese employee stole sensitive information from the company. Although that employee, like German A., did not have access to the complete blueprints required to build a fab tool or outfit a fab, a larger network of comparable operators could feasibly piece together enough to strengthen China and Russia's semiconductor businesses.
German A History
In August 2024, German A. was taken into custody following a report from the national intelligence agency. A month later, ASML and NXP were officially informed of the spying suspicion. His case is now being handled in court, and authorities suspect ties to Russian intelligence. Both firms are involved in the investigation and have filed complaints against the former employee.
Prior to his arrest in 2024, German A. had a long career in semiconductor development and production. Between 2008 and 2009, he interned at Imec, a Belgian nanotechnology research institute. Following his internship, he joined the Greek National Centre for Scientific Research (NCSR) and later advanced to a role at GlobalFoundries’ Dresden-based semiconductor manufacturing site, Fab 1.
