[Hardware]Intel sues former worker for leaking Xeon data

[WilkerCSBD]

Several gigabytes of Intel data leaked a few months ago, much of it critical data. Now Intel has sued Dr. Varun Gupta for stealing and leaking data from Xeon processors. For this he would have used a Seagate USB stick on which he would have stored more than 3,900 highly confidential files.

Currently nothing is clear, as this is in the hands of a judge. It seems I know that Intel would have worked on discovering who has leaked sensitive data from the Xeon processors. The company is suing Gupta as a possible person responsible for the leak.

 
Gupta worked at Intel for a decade, leaving the company in January 2020 to join Microsoft. At Microsoft he became the Director of Strategic Planning in the Cloud and Artificial Intelligence.

According to the lawsuit, Gupta would have copied the information onto two USB drives before leaving. You are later allegedly executed on the laptop that Microsoft had given him.

Microsoft has worked with Intel to clarify the event. Gupta would have in his possession about 3,900 confidential files on various USB sticks. Gupta is currently facing an accusation of theft of confidential intellectual property and the disclosure of secrets.

Intel indicates that Gupta would have used a Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex USB drive and a Western Digital My Passport USB drive.

The stolen files would be labeled "Intel Top Secret" and "Intel Confidential." This is why the company accuses Gupta of using those documents in face-to-face negotiations regarding product design and pricing for large volumes of Xeon processors.

This lawsuit has been filed in Portland District Court, where Intel has offices where Gupta works. Gupta was then in the marketing, strategic planning and business development department. There he had access to a large amount of documentation on Xeon processors, both structure and pricing strategy, manufacturing capabilities and other parameters.

A big legal problem for Gupta
Intel's security team has worked to see how many times Gupta has accessed the confidential documents and the dates. According to the investigation, between February 3, 2020 and July 23, 2020, Gupta accessed the Western Digital drive about 114 times from his Microsoft Surface.

Gupta defends himself by stating that he did not have the Seagate drive indicated in the investigation. He subsequently admitted possession of the memorandum to Microsoft, to whom he handed it over. The Western Digital unit has not been found, Gupta denying the allegations.

Intel for its part requests the following:

Compensation for damages of at least $ 75,000
Payment of legal costs for the legal team
An order preventing Gupta from using any Intel confidential information