TSMC's Virus Attack Case May Delay Upcoming 2018 iPhone Shipments, But With Limited Impact

Last weekend, we reported that TSMC factories were hit by a virus attack, now, some analysts said that the incident may delay the shipment o...

Last weekend, we reported that TSMC factories were hit by a virus attack, now, some analysts said that the incident may delay the shipment of Apple's new iPhone to a certain degree, but the impact is very limited because TSMC has well prepared to handle such problems.

TSMC's closed down production line is said to be fully restored on Monday, but the accident may delay the shipment of the A12 chips and affect the company's third quarter financial performance. Mark Li, an analyst in Sanford C. Bernstein, said that Apple is one of the concerned customers, but the speedy recovery in the fourth quarter will minimize losses.

KGI Securities, on the other hand, explained in a report that although TSMC's 12-inch wafer shipments may be delayed, the impact on the upcoming iPhones is limited because "the upstream supply chain usually prepares for these incidents and manufactures surplus chipsets during the initial ramp-up stage".

TSMC provided more information in a statement on Monday morning, blaming the virus attack on a variant of the 2017 WannaCry ransomware. The virus has attacked facilities in Tainan, Hsinchu, and Taichung, including places where Apple chips are produced. an "unidentified vendor" provided the infected tool, helping them to stay away from the attack.

Image Via CNN Money