They said China was relying on the structure of the world's largest open-source CPU architecture to build its CPUs and bypass the US chip ban and was paying attention to any weaknesses.

The issue was found in RISC-V, an open-source standard used in advanced chips and semiconductors. Compared with mainstream CPU structures -- such as X86 used by Intel and AMD --RISC-V offers free access and can be modified without restriction.

While details remain scarce, the flaw in RISC-V architecture could potentially allow attackers to circumvent the security measures of modern processors and operating systems without requiring administrative rights. This poses a grave threat to the security of sensitive information and personal privacy.

Professor Hu Wei's team at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), a defence research institute in Shaanxi province, first identified this vulnerability.

The National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Centre of China (CNCERT) reported it on April 24, and NPU provided further details in an official announcement on May 24.

China has been actively promoting the adoption of RISC-V technology, seeing it as a way to reduce its dependence on foreign chip technology and accelerate its own chip industry development. The country has already made significant investments in RISC-V-based chip design and manufacturing and has approved using RISC-V-based processors in domestic products.

The US government has voiced serious concerns about China’s adoption of RISC-V technology, raising the alarm on potential national security implications.

The Department of Commerce is currently scrutinizing the national security implications of China’s work in RISC-V chip technology, and lawmakers have pressed the Biden administration for its strategies to prevent China from gaining technological dominance.