ASML's Ex-Employee in China Allegedly Stole Confidential Information

[AleksandarK]

The Netherlands-based ASML has reportedly launched a comprehensive investigation into the company's branch in China following reports that one of its former employees allegedly stole confidential information. According to Bloomberg, the employee in question was part of a product life cycle management (PLM) program for ASML's advanced lithography solutions. Specifically, the employee worked for the Teamcenter software division responsible for lithography tool management. This software was used to create digital twins of scanners and other tools and allowed information to be shared among the company's employees. In ASML's case, the software contained all the confidential information about the scanners and how they work, which makes it a target for IP theft. We do not know if this is a China-sponsored action to boost its domestic lithography tool development; however, ASML has issued a statement below.

We have experienced unauthorized misappropriation of data relating to proprietary technology by a (now) former employee in China. We promptly initiated a comprehensive internal review. Based upon our initial findings we do not believe that the misappropriation is material to our business. However, as a result of the security incident, certain export control regulations may have been violated. ASML has therefore reported the incident to relevant authorities. We are implementing additional remedial measures in light of this incident.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site | Source

 

[Flanker]

Here we go again

 

[Why_Me]

This shouldn't surprise anyone.

 

[DY69SX]

Who would thought Hmmm‍

 

[pavle]

They have a division in China and do not expect that? That's not news, but gossip.

 

[zlobby]

Mild shock!

 

[mak1skav]

Nice, I hope we start to see cheap mass production of various chips soon.

 

[Tsukiyomi91]

"we do not know if this is a China-sponsored action" like bruh this happened in China, where theft and grift are done in broad daylight.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

They may have the schematics, but actually.
The mirrors alone will require much more rnd than most think
This isn't going to effect anything for years if at all.

I know how to make a nuke, can I though.

 

[Tomorrow]

Serves them right. If you do business in China (or Russia) and you're IP gets stolen then you have only yourself to blame.
I have no sympathy for "businesses" who only see potential profits and go to communist/dictatorship countries and then cry when something bad happens there.

It's like insurance. Insurance wont help you if you were stupid and did stupid things.

 

[AnarchoPrimitiv]

Serves them right. If you do business in China (or Russia) and you're IP gets stolen then you have only yourself to blame.
I have no sympathy for "businesses" who only see potential profits and go to communist/dictatorship countries and then cry when something bad happens there.

It's like insurance. Insurance wont help you if you were stupid and did stupid things.

Businesses love dictatorships, why do you think they and their interests were a major part of most of the coup d'etat during the cold War, heck, Mussolini even said fascism should actually be called "corporatism" because it's a merger of state and corporate power....why do you think they love doing business in China and why they continue to do so even with all the IP theft? Dictatorships mean tight control of the labor force and therefore more profitable exploitation of that labor by business interests, we're all familiar with the stories about the working conditions at Foxconn, for example. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the business just consider the IP theft as "spillage/breakage", "the cost of doing business", etc since all the other benefits are so substantial.

What's interesting is that currently there are major companies beginning to look towards India as labor in China is becoming more expensive, Apple is currently one of these companies. At the same time, Modi is constantly increasing and consolidating his power and the power of the state (for example, Indian authorities actually raided BBC offices in India because they aired a documentary critical of Modi....silencing the press for being critical of the government is a hallmark of authoritarianism) which only makes it even more attractive to business interest....coincidence?

 

[Prima.Vera]

Unfortunately the Asian companies, such as ones from China, Japan, or South Korea, only know how to steal proprietary IP in order to technologically progress further. This is just another day in China, nothing special.

 

[Chomiq]

Unfortunately the Asian companies, such as ones from China, Japan, or South Korea, only know how to steal proprietary IP in order to technologically progress further.

You what mate?

 

[Argyr]

If you do business in China

huh? If you're in tech and don't do business in China you don't exist.

You live in a bubble, a very judgemental bubble

You what mate?

He lives in a childish 2-bit dreamworld where
west = good (actually perfect)
rest = bad

 

[Denver]

At that point it would be better not to have any arm in China.

It's also unfair to compare theft protected by a Chinese dictatorship to countries like Japan and Korea that have great companies and actively develop technology that we all use.

And... Yes, dictatorship and theft is bad, are there any kids here who don't understand that?

 

[diatribe]

Shocked! Next thing we'll find out is that water's wet...

 

[trsttte]

Unfortunately the Asian companies, such as ones from China, Japan, or South Korea, only know how to steal proprietary IP in order to technologically progress further. This is just another day in China, nothing special.

Nah, Japan and South Korea are technological powerhouses all on their own right. China though.. yeah, IP theft and reverse engineering is cheaper and easier than R&D

 

[GuiltySpark]

So, actually we have some saying "It is right to put sanctions on them, look what they are doing" while others saying "It is right what they are doing, look at the sanctions we put on them". where is the truth?

And... Yes, dictatorship and theft is bad, are there any kids here who don't understand that?

Do you really expect someone will ever live under technologic supremacy for all the time? Or, sooner or later, they will understand how to make boiling water? (also, let's point out there is one way of making boiling water, all the world use the same, energy transfer, think about that).

 

[BoboOOZ]

So, actually we have some saying "It is right to put sanctions on them, look what they are doing" while others saying "It is right what they are doing, look at the sanctions we put on them". where is the truth?


Do you really expect someone will ever live under technologic supremacy for all the time? Or, sooner or later, they will understand how to make boiling water? (also, let's point out there is one way of making boiling water, all the world use the same, energy transfer, think about that).

They were doing IP theft way before sanctions began, most companies that I know of never complained publicly, either chose to close their eyes, or to relocate sensitive workflows.

 

[GuiltySpark]

They were doing IP theft way before sanctions began

I'm not discussing this. I'm discussing about the fact now it's somehow "intensified" w.r.t past, at least at media level. And I'm discussing about the fact that sooner or later they will learn how to make chips with the same techniques, cause if there is a common practice (and there is one) on how to make silicon printing production, they will exploit that one for sure. There is no other possibility. Also this is encouraged by sanctions and political positions (and the reason of this is pretty clear). There is no way you can stop their developments, in the end they will possibly diverge one day after some autonomous decisions, but first they have to develop at the same level. Consider, it is not that different from the time other nations developed nuclear bombs after US succeed developing the first. And like it happened that time, there is no way to stop, also because we are not talking about bombs here.

 

[Denver]

I'm not discussing this. I'm discussing about the fact now it's somehow "intensified" w.r.t past, at least at media level. And I'm discussing about the fact that sooner or later they will learn how to make chips with the same techniques, cause if there is a common practice (and there is one) on how to make silicon printing production, they will exploit that one for sure. There is no other possibility. Also this is encouraged by sanctions and political positions (and the reason of this is pretty clear). There is no way you can stop their developments, in the end they will possibly diverge one day after some autonomous decisions, but first they have to develop at the same level. Consider, it is not that different from the time other nations developed nuclear bombs after US succeed developing the first. And like it happened that time, there is no way to stop, also because we are not talking about bombs here.

They won't succeed without stealing or infringing on someone's intellectual property, certain things can only be efficient if produced in X way, there are no infinite ways to reach the same result and they know that, this is the reason for technology theft.

You are comparing apples to oranges.

 

[Tropick]

Steal from me once, shame on you. Steal from me 3,847 times....

 

[BoboOOZ]

I'm not discussing this. I'm discussing about the fact now it's somehow "intensified" w.r.t past, at least at media level. And I'm discussing about the fact that sooner or later they will learn how to make chips with the same techniques, cause if there is a common practice (and there is one) on how to make silicon printing production, they will exploit that one for sure. There is no other possibility. Also this is encouraged by sanctions and political positions (and the reason of this is pretty clear). There is no way you can stop their developments, in the end they will possibly diverge one day after some autonomous decisions, but first they have to develop at the same level. Consider, it is not that different from the time other nations developed nuclear bombs after US succeed developing the first. And like it happened that time, there is no way to stop, also because we are not talking about bombs here.

Consider that it is intensified now because now (some) companies are feeling empowered to speak up instead of just brushing stuff under the rug.

Also, the whole idea of the sanctions is not to prevent them from getting to the same place as the US and the western world. They will get there regardless, if they pay the R&D price. But the R&D price is great and, if they actually have to do the R&D instead of just stealing IP, they will have to choose their battles and will not be capable to advance in leaps on all fronts.

So it will not stop them from actually discovering boiling water, they will just have to do their honest work like everybody else to get there. And when they do that, guess what, it will take longer and it will leave them less money to put in their armies, or in buying land from poor third world countries (the so called belt and road initiative).

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Mild shock!

I got a surprised look for sale too!

 

[thewan]

Serves them right. If you do business in China (or Russia) and you're IP gets stolen then you have only yourself to blame.
I have no sympathy for "businesses" who only see potential profits and go to communist/dictatorship countries and then cry when something bad happens there.

It's like insurance. Insurance wont help you if you were stupid and did stupid things.

Just so you know, they are not the ones complaining or crying. IF you READ the article THOROUGHLY, you would then know that they have already stated that it doesn't affect them whatsoever. They are only reporting it out of obligation due to xenophobic laws made by those politicians you people voted for. The ones that are crying are your politicians that think without their technological superiority, they can't take over the world. Technology that is not even theirs, they just have the biggest mouths in the world so they have the right to monopolize them all they want, because if they couldn't they would just scream and cry even more.