Fake Semiconductors ‘Could Cause Tragedy’

The number of fake memory chips and processors in use has tripled since 2009, suggests a report.

The report, compiled by semiconductor analyst IHS iSuppli, said fakes were found in phones, computers, military hardware, cars and hospital equipment.

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The analyst said the fakes were turning up in so many places that they might soon put lives at risk.

The military and aerospace firms were the most likely to be using fakes, it said.

More than 1,363 fakes were reported in 2011, said the report, and threatened to dent a market worth more than $169bn (£109bn) a year.

The five most widely counterfeited chips included memory chips, microprocessors and analogue integrated circuits (IC).

Continue reading at BBC News.