All posts tagged: broadcom

Intel Agrees to TSMC Takeover of Chip Foundries, Sources Say

Intel Agrees to TSMC Takeover of Chip Foundries, Sources Say

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Intel foundry. Image: Intel Intel has tentatively agreed to let Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) take over some of its chipmaking facilities, according to The Information. TSMC will hold a 20% stake in the joint venture, contributing not cash, but value through sharing its chipmaking practices and training Intel staff, according to anonymous sources cited by the publication. Rumours of a possible takeover of Intel started swirling in February, with TSMC and Broadcom considering splitting the U.S. company’s manufacturing and design arms between them. The following month, TSMC reportedly offered a share in its proposed acquisition of the chip foundries to NVIDIA and AMD, as well as Broadcom. Both NVIDIA and Broadcom initiated manufacturing testing at Intel’s facilities at the time, sources said. However, Intel did not want to sell its chip design house separately from the foundry division, which manufactures custom chips for its customers. SEE: TSMC’s $100B Investment in US Data Centers Sets Foreign Investment Record Intel used to be a giant in the CPU industry, but the AI boom has led to …

Intel CEO Tan Starts Company’s Pivot: Spin Off Non-Core Assets

Intel CEO Tan Starts Company’s Pivot: Spin Off Non-Core Assets

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Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Image: Intel Business/YouTube Intel will spin off assets that aren’t part of its core mission, according to Bloomberg. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, who became CEO in mid-March after Pat Gelsinger took a heavily encouraged suggestion to retire, made the announcement on March 31 at the Intel Vision conference. Tan did not define the core business or which parts of the business would be affected. Intel will try to expand its core business using AI and Software 2.0, Tan said. Software 2.0 is a term about the way generative AI allows for coding without writing individual lines of code; instead, the technique, named by computer vision scientist Andrej Karpathy, uses natural language and an AI model. Software 2.0 has some similarities to “vibe coding,” although Software 2.0 encompasses more possible uses for generative AI. More must-read AI coverage Tan tries to turn Intel around as other semiconductor companies pull ahead in the AI boom Despite the AI boom, Intel was not lifted on the wave of demand for chips. Gelsinger’s departure and …

High-Severity Flaw Lets Hackers Bypass Authentication

High-Severity Flaw Lets Hackers Bypass Authentication

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Image: Ferran Rodenas/Flickr/Creative Commons If you use VMware Tools for Windows, it is critical to update to the latest version. Broadcom, which acquired VMware for $69 billion in 2023, has issued a patch for a high-severity vulnerability that is actively being exploited by cybercriminals. The vulnerability affects VMware Tools for Windows versions 11.x.x and 12.x.x, but has been patched in version 12.5.1. Broadcom confirmed that no workarounds are available, so affected users should update immediately. What are the details about this authentication bypass vulnerability? VMware Tools for Windows is a suite of utilities that enhances the performance and functionality of Windows-based virtual machines running on VMware platforms. It supports functions like display resolution, seamless mouse and keyboard integration, and better time synchronization between host and guest systems. CVE-2025-22230 is classified as an “authentication bypass vulnerability,” according to Broadcom’s security advisory. While technical details remain limited, Broadcom suggests that the flaw results from improper access control mechanisms in some versions of VMware Tools for Windows. “A malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a Windows guest (virtual …

Who is Intel’s New CEO? 5 Key Things to Know

Who is Intel’s New CEO? 5 Key Things to Know

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Image: Intel Intel has named chip industry veteran Lip-Bu Tan as its new CEO, effective March 18. The 65-year-old spent 12 years as the CEO of Cadence Design Systems, a company specializing in software and hardware solutions for chip design, during which he doubled its revenue. Tan also founded a venture capital firm that has backed numerous successful tech startups and served on the boards of major tech companies, including Intel, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Schneider Electric. “Together, we will work hard to restore Intel’s position as a world-class products company, establish ourselves as a world-class foundry and delight our customers like never before,” Tan said in a letter to Intel employees on Wednesday. TechRepublic breaks down key details about the Malaysian-born executive as he takes charge of the U.S. tech giant. 1. Tan was on Intel’s board of directors As CEO of Cadence Design Systems, Tan oversaw the company’s supply of design solutions and IP to Intel. He also served on Intel’s board of directors from 2022 to 2024. This was a significant era …

TSMC Proposes Shared Takeover with Chip Giants

TSMC Proposes Shared Takeover with Chip Giants

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Intel foundry. Image: Intel Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has offered a share in its proposed acquisition of Intel’s chip foundries to NVIDIA, Broadcom, and AMD, sources told Reuters. The Taiwanese chipmaker intends to oversee the operations of Intel’s fab division, but aims to retain less than 50% ownership and is seeking multiple partners for the deal. Intel’s reluctance and internal divisions According to the anonymous sources, Intel does not want to sell its chip design house separately from the foundry division, which manufactures custom chips for its customers. Intel executives are also divided on whether striking any deal is a good idea. Last month, it was reported that TSMC and Broadcom were considering splitting the U.S. company’s manufacturing and design arms between them. Intel’s factories already operate somewhat independently; since 2022, they have taken orders from outside customers and in-house at equal priority. More about data centers Challenges in potential TSMC-Intel partnership TSMC has its own demands when it comes to the joint venture, as it wants any potential investors to also be Intel advanced-manufacturing …

Critical Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Found in These VMware Products

Critical Zero-Day Vulnerabilities Found in These VMware Products

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Broadcom has patched three actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion, discovered by Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center. The flaws, which were being leveraged in real-world attacks at the time of discovery, could allow attackers with administrator or root access to a virtual machine to breach the underlying hypervisor, potentially exposing all connected VMs and sensitive data. How do these vulnerabilities work? If a threat actor gains administrative access to a virtual machine’s guest OS, they can escalate privileges and break into the hypervisor. Once inside, they could manipulate or access other virtual machines running on the same hypervisor, posing a significant security risk. The three vulnerabilities are: CVE-2025-22224: A Time-of-Check Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) vulnerability in VMware ESXi and Workstation which can lead to an out-of-bounds write condition if an attacker already has admin privileges. CVE-2025-22225: An arbitrary write vulnerability in VMware ESXi. CVE-2025-22226: An information disclosure vulnerability in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion that could be used to leak memory. To remediate the vulnerabilities, customers should apply the patches found in Broadcom’s notification. All versions of VMware …

Trump Calls for CHIPS Act Repeal, Slams ‘Horrible’ Subsidies

Trump Calls for CHIPS Act Repeal, Slams ‘Horrible’ Subsidies

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Image: Gage Skidmore U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Congress to “get rid of” the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, arguing the semiconductor funding law funnels billions to foreign companies without meaningful returns for the U.S. Speaking during a joint address to Congress on March 4, Trump criticized the act’s $39 billion in semiconductor manufacturing incentives, particularly funds allocated to Taiwanese chip giant TSMC. Trump targets TSMC “We’re not giving them any money,” Trump said, referring to Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC. “Your CHIPS Act is a horrible, horrible thing. We give hundreds of billions of dollars. It doesn’t mean anything. All that was important was they didn’t want to pay the tariffs.” His remarks came soon after TSMC announced plans to expand its U.S. operations with three new fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities and a major R&D team center — an ambitious $165 billion investment. The company, which supplies semiconductors to Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, Broadcom, and Qualcomm, has already established a facility in Phoenix under the CHIPS Act but has faced repeated delays. “You …

Broadcom and TSMC Consider Splitting Intel’s Design and Manufacturing Capabilities Between Them

Broadcom and TSMC Consider Splitting Intel’s Design and Manufacturing Capabilities Between Them

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Rumors are swirling about a possible takeover of Intel. Nothing has been inked, but Broadcom and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) both are in the early stages of proposing potential deals, according to The Wall Street Journal. Broadcom could potentially seek a deal for Intel’s chip design assets, while TSMC eyes its manufacturing capabilities. More about Innovation Intel interim executive chairman allegedly met with buyers, government Broadcom and TSMC are not officially working together, and any plans either company has for deals with Intel are in preliminary stages, The Wall Street Journal said. However, Intel’s Interim Executive Chairman Frank Yeary has allegedly met with potential buyers and Trump administration officials. TSMC’s involvement in particular would need to take into account Intel’s U.S. national security relationships. Intel was the largest recipient of the U.S. Chips Act of 2022, which gave up to $7.9 billion in grants to U.S.-based factory projects. Reception of that money makes Intel subject to regulations that say the company must own a majority share of its factories if they are sold off …

Broadcom, TSMC Eye Possible Intel Deals to Split Storied Chipmaker: Report

Broadcom, TSMC Eye Possible Intel Deals to Split Storied Chipmaker: Report

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Intel’s rivals Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Broadcom are each eyeing potential deals that would break the US chipmaking icon in two, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter. Broadcom has been closely examining Intel’s chip design and marketing business, the Journal reported, adding that the company had discussed a potential bid with its advisers but would likely only proceed if it found a partner for Intel’s manufacturing business. TSMC, the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, has separately studied controlling some or all of Intel’s chip plants, potentially as part of an investor consortium or other structure, the report said. Broadcom and TSMC are not working together, and all of the talks so far are preliminary and largely informal, the Journal added. Intel’s interim executive chairman, Frank Yeary, has been leading the discussions with possible suitors and Trump administration officials, who are concerned about the fate of a company seen as critical to national security, the report said. Yeary has been telling individuals close to him that he is most …

Apple Working With Broadcom to Develop First AI Server Chip: Report

Apple Working With Broadcom to Develop First AI Server Chip: Report

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Apple is developing a new server chip that is designed to enable support for features powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in partnership with semiconductor manufacturer Broadcom, according to a report. The company previously announced that it would offload processing for some of its Apple Intelligence features to the cloud, but it has yet to utilise its own processor tailored for AI applications. Apple has also rolled out support for additional Apple Intelligence features on iOS, iPadOS and Mac computers, including ChatGPT integration with Siri. Apple Reportedly Developing ‘Baltra’ Server Chip for AI Processing Citing three persons familiar with the company’s plans, The Information reports that Apple is working on a server chip for AI applications. The iPhone maker already produces its own processors for its devices, which offer some on-device AI features, and the new in-house chip could be used to perform AI processing on Apple’s servers. Apple’s new server chip for AI processing is codenamed Baltra, according to the publication, and the companies are said to be working on the networking technology used by …