Chinese memory-maker YMTC sues Micron for defamation • The Register

China’s Yangtze Reminiscence Applied sciences has accused rival chipmaker Micron of defamation via a marketing campaign to publish nasty tales and stories about it.

The Chinese language firm (YMTC) just lately filed a complaint [PDF] in US District Courtroom that names Micron and public affairs agency DCI as plaintiffs, and alleges they ran a scheme that “seeks to destroy YMTC’s popularity and enterprise by spreading xenophobic lies that YMTC’s market-leading flash reminiscence chips are able to getting used to spy on hundreds of thousands of People who use the gadgets wherein the chips are embedded, on the behest of the Chinese language Communist Social gathering or its Individuals’s Liberation Military.”

YMTC’s criticism states that the claims are “are false and illegal” – and that the defendants realize it.

Among the materials YMTC objects to appeared on an internet site referred to as “China Tech Menace” that doesn’t embody details about the id of its writer. WHOIS data for the location record domainsbyproxy.com as its registrar, and that outfit’s slogan is: “Your id is no one’s enterprise however ours.”

YMTC’s criticism alleges DCI runs China Tech Menace, and that Micron labored with the company to put up materials there. One alleged product of that effort is a report titled “Silicon Sellout: How Apple’s Partnership with Chinese language Army Chip Maker YMTC Threatens Nationwide Safety” [PDF]. The positioning comprises many more articles essential of YMTC.

The swimsuit claims DCI has carried out this kind of factor earlier than, and that Micron labored with the general public affairs agency to faucet its “astroturfing” experience – PR-speak for faking grassroots opinions.

The Chinese language firm’s swimsuit additionally alleges that Micron and DCI possess ample technical data that they have to know their claims that YMTC merchandise spy on customers are specious, as a result of reminiscence doesn’t embody the parts essential to exfiltrate knowledge.

“YMTC would have completely no skill to fabricate a chip in such a method as to clandestinely make the most of these components of a cellular gadget with out the gadget producer figuring out,” the criticism states.

That might be true – hiding exfiltration circuitry in reminiscence chips and discovering methods to have them talk with Chinese language spies with out leaving any hint, could be fairly a feat!

Nonetheless, governmental issues about Chinese language tech corporations transcend {hardware} – there’s additionally the matter of China’s Nationwide Safety legislation, which requires all Center Kingdom corporations to help Beijing in issues of nationwide safety. Chinese language authorized analysts dispute the extent of the legislation’s energy to compel co-operation from Chinese language corporations.

As well as, there’s concern that giant Chinese language corporations have Communist Social gathering cadres whose members can report on their affairs. Sources have informed your correspondent that intelligence businesses worry Beijing arranges for these Social gathering members to take jobs in Chinese language corporations’ offshore operations to allow them to collect intelligence from their clients. Chinese language networking corporations, for instance, know rather a lot concerning the disposition and site of their provider clients’ essential package. Gathering details about that doesn’t require techniques that may make the pages of a spy novel, as a result of distributors have a wonderfully affordable excuse to go to their clients.

YMTC’s tech may subsequently be totally clear, however the individuals who set up and preserve it may use entry to buyer websites to conduct some snooping.

In 2023, China banned some Micron merchandise, citing unspecified flaws that Beijing by no means detailed.

Micron and YMTC have beforehand had authorized fights over alleged breaches of patents. YMTC’s new swimsuit claims its patents enable it to create merchandise Micron nonetheless can’t match, and that the American memory-maker has resorted to defamatory techniques as a result of its know-how isn’t aggressive.

The Register sought remark from Micron and DCI. Neither had responded on the time of writing. ®