Advantest hit by ransomware as semiconductor tester investigates

Advantest Corporation, the Japanese technology company and prominent semiconductor testing equipment manufacturer, has been hit by a ransomware attack. According to Advantest Corporation, the incident was detected after unusual activity on February 15, prompting the immediate deployment of incident response protocols, including isolation of affected systems and the involvement of leading third-party cybersecurity experts.

Preliminary findings appear to indicate that an unauthorized third party may have gained access to portions of the network and deployed ransomware. As of February 23, a data breach has not been confirmed, but the company said it is dedicated to transparency and would provide regular updates about the ongoing investigation. The statement adds that if customer or employee data was affected, impacted persons would be notified directly and given guidance on protective measures.

At the time of publication, so cyber criminal operation has claimed responsibility for the Advantest ransomware attack, and the article notes that Asahi’s 2025 ransomware incident, linked to the Qilin group, is referenced for context.