Apple & Amazon Push Back on Bloomberg’s “Tainted Chip” Claims
Bloomberg Businessweek recently threw a scare bolt at two of Silicon Valley’s giants, saying that Chinese espionage units slipped “mole‑like” chips into the supply chain of firms such as Supermicro, and even some U.S. government agencies. The story, reportedly based on 17 unnamed insiders, warned that tiny micro‑chips—think the size of a sharpened pencil tip—could grant Beijing a back‑door into major manufacturers.
What the Companies Are Saying
- Amazon: “We have found no evidence of malicious chips or hardware tampering.”
- Apple: “Apple has never found malicious chips, ‘hardware manipulations’ or vulnerabilities purposely planted in any server.”
Apple’s response was laser‑focused, calling the Bloomberg piece “virtually every aspect” of the story bogus.
The original Bloomberg piece painted a picture of a massive “supply chain attack” orchestrated by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. It claimed that these covert chips were lurking in a company nicknamed the “Microsoft of the hardware world”—Supermicro—granting foreign lords a way into U.S. tech infrastructure.
Why It Matters (And Why It’s Pretty Bland)
In plain English, the tech world’s big four just tossed a polite rejection into the gunfire and said they’ve got no sign of any sneaky hardware. Their responses are short, solid, and decidedly calm—little irony if you asked for a dramatic back‑story.
Key Takeaway
Even when the rumor mill is running at full tilt, the top players are swift to set the record straight. The alleged “Chinese intel threat” has been shrugged off; no evidence, and no sign that Apple or Amazon has a chip‑in-the-box situation. For now, the conspiracies seem to be just that—conspiracies.
