Japanese chip testing firm Advantest investigates ransomware incident

Advantest, a Japanese manufacturer of semiconductor test equipment, confirmed this week that it is responding to a cybersecurity incident involving ransomware that may have impacted certain systems of its network.

The company first detected unusual activity within its IT environment on February 15th. It responded by activating incident response protocols, isolating affected systems, and engaging leading third-party cybersecurity experts, Advantest says.

According to preliminary findings, a threat actor may have gained access to portions of its network and deployed ransomware.

If it is discovered that customer or employee data was affected, the company will notify impacted persons directly and offer security recommendations.

The investigation is currently ongoing, and Advantest is working together with security experts to determine the scope and identify the point of intrusion.

Although no data theft has been confirmed and no ransom demands reported, the situation could change as the investigation continues.

Advantest employs over 7,600 people worldwide and generates over $6.5 billion in annual revenue.

Amid a rise in cyberattacks targeting Japanese companies and mounting attacks on its critical infrastructure and prized industries, Japan has adopted a more offensive approach to national cybersecurity.

“We will no longer be sitting ducks. We now have the capability to disrupt and turn off the infrastructure of those who seek to harm us,” Shigeru Kitamura, the former national security advisor to the late Shinzo Abe, told Cybernews earlier in February.

Japan’s "Active Cyber Defense" law, passed in 2025, is an effort to catch up with other nations and enable Japan to act more as an equal intelligence partner. The law, among other things, mandates incident reporting by critical infrastructure operators and allows for better coordination between the NPA, the intelligence agencies, and the Self-Defense Forces.