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Intel Sues Ex-Engineer For Trying To Steal 3D XPoint Technology On His Way To Micron (theregister.co.uk)
Intel has filed a lawsuit last week against one of their former hardware engineers, alleging they tried to steal confidential chip blueprints to potentially pass on to Micron. "The lawsuit [...] is the latest twist in the tale of Intel and Micron's difficult partnership over 3D XPoint memory," reports The Register. From the report: The legal complaint, aimed at former employee Doyle Rivers, alleges that having "secretly" accepted a position at Chipzilla's former bedfellow, Micron, Rivers had a go at taking confidential trade and personnel data with him as he left. Intel alleged that a few days before leaving, "Rivers tried to access and copy a 'top secret' designated Intel file that Intel's electronic security system blocked from being copied."
Chipzilla said the document was related to what it was at pains to say is its "independent" work to productize the 3D XPoint tech into its Optane product line. In other words, blueprints secret to Intel. No one outside Intel, "including Micron" had been privy to such data, the complaint alleged. Intel's security system stopped the file from escaping, but according to the complaint, that did not stop Rivers from allegedly hoovering up a selection of personnel files into a USB device plugged into his computer. The chipmaker also claimed that Rivers "aggressively" recruited his former colleagues to join him on his grand adventure to pastures new. Intel demanded that Rivers return the USB drive, but he apparently "never responded" to them. Instead, "he handed the USB device over to his new employer." It was later discovered by a forensic investigator that it had been wiped. Intel is now demanding "a neutral forensic investigator" be allowed to take a look at Rivers' PC to see what was on there, and when exactly the USB stick was erased. There's a deadline of November 16 for Rivers to agree to this probing.
Chipzilla said the document was related to what it was at pains to say is its "independent" work to productize the 3D XPoint tech into its Optane product line. In other words, blueprints secret to Intel. No one outside Intel, "including Micron" had been privy to such data, the complaint alleged. Intel's security system stopped the file from escaping, but according to the complaint, that did not stop Rivers from allegedly hoovering up a selection of personnel files into a USB device plugged into his computer. The chipmaker also claimed that Rivers "aggressively" recruited his former colleagues to join him on his grand adventure to pastures new. Intel demanded that Rivers return the USB drive, but he apparently "never responded" to them. Instead, "he handed the USB device over to his new employer." It was later discovered by a forensic investigator that it had been wiped. Intel is now demanding "a neutral forensic investigator" be allowed to take a look at Rivers' PC to see what was on there, and when exactly the USB stick was erased. There's a deadline of November 16 for Rivers to agree to this probing.
Think an "editor" could give a followup to this?
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
Pot calling Kettle black seems injurious to their own poaching/ip theft concerns regarding chinese competition in light of these revelations. Now this is just industry standard behavior which will make it hard for them to claim damages against the chinese companies unless they pay out the same to Intel.
And you can bet China will capitalize on it.
What is the purpose of such frivolous lawsuits? For starters the CIA lemon party gestapo is trying to keep the illusion alive that intel and micron are two different companies. They are as"different" as two virtual OS system installed on the same computer. You know they are very different, but they are just fronts of tar budgets. Levers. Notice all those offices of high tech companies are designed to function like neverland ranches. They do no work there except "arbeit macht frei" activity. You know they are "freeing" themselves by using labor of others.
Its ok Al Lowe just did the same thing. But waited 30 years.
Its obvious they just want to block employees from leaving and getting better deals elsewhere. This bs is just smokescreen.
Ban Micron from buying any litography tech as was the case with taiwanese and chinese company!
First of all, at every job I have ever had, I signed something that said I agreed to destroy any confidential information I might find myself in possession of, should my employment come to and end.
His employment came to an end, and he wiped the USB drive, which is probably consistent with whatever employment agreement he signed.
Seldom is "company policy" a signed contract. So if he took files that he wasn't supposed to (but were nevertheless unprotected by any security whatsoever), at worst he violated a company policy and should be disciplined within the scope of his employment (which is moot, since he is no longer employed there).
because so far all you have are regular run off the mill products at inflated prices. I don't care what you print on the boxes, it's regular run off the mill products.
It sure took off on Singles Day in China when Alibaba used it in their datacenters.
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
I spent 14 years at a large chipmaker, y'all would know them if I named names. Maybe once a month or so I'd try to access a document only to get "access denied". I'd shoot off an email and usually within the hour I'd be reading that doc.
We won't mention the amount of Company Confidential stuff I had on my home PC, needed to work after hours. I didn't work from home mind you, but it was expected at my level I'd have a VPN RSA key and was expected to use it a few times a week.
Oh, my level? Engineer. Fancy word in front of it to justify my salary, but I was not management.
Micron just made this press release:
"We at Micron take the security and quality of our products, data and intellectual property (IP) very seriously. We frankly would have nothing to do with the bug-riddled security shitholes that Intel produce, so even if a new hire were to offer us such documents we wouldn't use them."