TSMC confirms employee data leak as hackers seek 3 BTC for the records

TSMC confirmed a data leak affecting employee records after hackers breached a third-party vendor system and are demanding 3 BTC (roughly $78,000 at recent prices) for the stolen files. The chipmaker said the incident did not disrupt operations or its core semiconductor business, but it underscores how vendor security gaps can expose sensitive corporate data. The ransom demand is small relative to TSMC's market capitalization of roughly $500 billion, suggesting the reputational and compliance fallout matters more than the payment itself. Watch whether TSMC pays the 3 BTC, how quickly the vendor discloses the breach scope, and whether other third-party suppliers face similar crypto-ransom demands.