Intel and Fortinet team up on SP6 cybersecurity chip Intel and Fortinet have expanded their long-standing partnership with a strategic collaboration to develop Fortinet’s next-generation Security Processor 6 (SP6), combining custom cybersecurity silicon with Intel’s semiconductor design, packaging and manufacturing capabilities. The collaboration is aimed at accelerating development of the SP6 ASIC while also improving the resilience and diversity of Fortinet’s global supply chain at a time when security infrastructure and semiconductor sourcing have become strategic priorities. For eeNews Europe readers, the announcement highlights two key trends: the growing role of custom silicon in cybersecurity appliances and the increasing importance of supply chain resilience in semiconductor manufacturing. It also reflects how chipmakers are positioning advanced packaging and manufacturing services as strategic assets beyond traditional processor products. Custom silicon for next-generation security The partnership brings together Fortinet’s experience in purpose-built security processors with Intel’s expertise in semiconductor design, ecosystem IP, advanced packaging and manufacturing. The companies say the goal is to accelerate the development of the SP6 processor while enabling more sophisticated security services and higher performance for enterprise deployments. According to Intel, the collaboration will also support a more diversified manufacturing strategy for Fortinet, helping reduce supply chain risks while expanding production capabilities. “As organizations face a rapidly evolving threat landscape, security infrastructure must deliver both performance and innovation at scale,” said Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel. “This collaboration demonstrates how Intel’s semiconductor leadership and advanced design, packaging, and manufacturing capabilities can help cybersecurity leaders like Fortinet accelerate the development of critical security technologies while building a more resilient and diversified global supply chain.” Fortinet has relied on proprietary ASICs for more than two decades as a way to improve the performance and efficiency of its networking and cybersecurity platforms compared with software-only implementations. Beyond manufacturing The collaboration extends beyond