A fab, short for fabrication plant, is the highly controlled facility where semiconductor wafers are manufactured and processed into chips. Fabs combine clean-room operations, industrial automation, process recipes, and specialized equipment, so they are both technologically complex and operationally sensitive. In cyber security, fabs matter because their production lines depend on digital control systems, engineering workstations, supply-chain software, and tightly managed access to process data.
Attackers may target a fab to steal proprietary designs, disrupt output, or interfere with the tools that run manufacturing steps. Defenders focus on network segmentation, strong identity controls, monitoring of OT and ICS environments, patch management, and protection of sensitive process documentation. Because chip production is difficult to pause and restart, even limited compromise can create costly delays, quality issues, or exposure of strategic intellectual property. For that reason, a fab is not just an industrial site; it is a high-value cyber target and a critical asset in supply-chain resilience.