Intel & Fortinet team up on security processor SP6

Intel and Fortinet have agreed a strategic collaboration to develop Fortinet Security Processor 6, extending an existing relationship between the two US technology companies.

The agreement centres on Fortinet's next security chip, known as SP6, and combines the company's in-house processor design with Intel's semiconductor design, packaging and manufacturing operations. It is also intended to improve the resilience and diversity of Fortinet's global supply chain.

Fortinet has long used custom application-specific integrated circuits, or ASICs, in its security products to handle specialised networking and cyber defence workloads. The new collaboration suggests it is leaning further into that approach as security vendors face pressure to process growing volumes of encrypted traffic, AI-related workloads and increasingly complex threat detection tasks.

For Intel, the deal is another example of its effort to deepen ties with external technology companies through chip design and manufacturing partnerships. The semiconductor group has been seeking to broaden the commercial reach of its manufacturing and advanced packaging services while reinforcing its position in strategic technology supply chains.

Work on SP6 will combine Fortinet's security processor expertise with Intel's broader ecosystem intellectual property, disaggregated semiconductor design methods and packaging technologies. The resulting processor is intended to support more sophisticated security services and meet demanding customer performance requirements.

Although few technical details were disclosed, the collaboration highlights the growing importance of specialist silicon in cyber security infrastructure. Companies in the sector increasingly use dedicated processors to carry out inspection, encryption, traffic management and threat prevention functions more efficiently than general-purpose chips.

The supply chain element is also significant. Technology groups have spent recent years reassessing sourcing strategies after repeated disruptions across semiconductor production and logistics exposed the risks of relying too heavily on a narrow set of suppliers and manufacturing regions.

Lip-Bu Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Intel, linked the project to both security demands and supply chain concerns.

"As organisations face a rapidly evolving threat landscape, security infrastructure must deliver both performance and innovation at scale. 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," said Tan.

Fortinet presented the arrangement as an extension of a processor strategy it has pursued for more than 20 years. The company has often argued that purpose-built chips help distinguish its firewalls and related network security products from rivals that depend more heavily on standard merchant silicon.

Ken Xie, Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Fortinet, said the partnership would reinforce that long-running approach.

"Fortinet's purpose-built ASICs have been a key differentiator for more than two decades, enabling us to deliver the security effectiveness, performance, and efficiency our customers demand. This expanded relationship with Intel will leverage its unique combination of advanced semiconductor technology, manufacturing expertise, and global supply chain capabilities, helping Fortinet accelerate and strengthen our ASIC strategy, while also better supporting organisations all over the world," said Xie.

Industry pressure

The announcement comes as cyber security providers are under pressure to show their infrastructure can handle heavier data loads and more advanced attacks without sharply increasing cost or complexity. Hardware design has become one area of competition, particularly for vendors selling appliances and integrated network security systems to large businesses, telecoms operators and public sector buyers.

Intel's role could also matter for customers seeking greater assurance around sourcing and manufacturing. In security markets, where product trust and component provenance can influence procurement decisions, chip development and production arrangements are often scrutinised alongside software features and threat intelligence.

The two companies will also explore broader collaboration in semiconductor technology, manufacturing and the infrastructure underpinning future cyber security development. They did not disclose financial terms or a timetable for when SP6-based products might reach the market.

Both groups are presenting the tie-up as more than a simple supplier relationship. The emphasis on processor design, packaging and supply chain resilience shows how closely cyber security product strategy is now tied to control over underlying silicon.

The work is intended to strengthen supply chain assurance for customers worldwide.