- Apple is suing a former employee, Andrew Aude, for allegedly leaking confidential information about projects such as Apple’s Journal app and the Vision Pro.
- Aude is accused of sharing this information with media outlets and employees at other tech companies over a five-year period.
- Despite Aude’s termination, Apple considers him an “ongoing threat” due to his knowledge of confidential information, seeking a jury trial and damages.
Apple is taking legal action against a former employee for allegedly leaking confidential information, including details about products he disliked, from his company-issued iPhone.
In a lawsuit filed on March 18 in a California court, Apple accused ex-software engineer Andrew Aude of sharing information about projects such as Apple’s Journal app and the Vision Pro with media outlets and employees at other tech firms over a span of five years.
Apple, which hired Aude in 2016, is suing him for breaching its confidentiality agreement and violating labour laws.
The leaks came to light in late 2023, according to Apple. When confronted, Aude allegedly denied involvement but then deleted evidence from his device during a bathroom break.
The lawsuit claims that Aude often saved screenshots of his communications on his work iPhone, which Apple was able to recover.
Analysis of Aude’s work iPhone revealed over 1,400 encrypted communications with a Wall Street Journal journalist and over 10,000 text messages sent to a journalist at The Information, Apple alleges.
Screenshots attached to the lawsuit reportedly show Aude expressing anticipation of the “chaos” that would ensue following leaked information, and characterizing leaks to colleagues as a “necessary evil.”
Apple contends that Aude’s disclosures impeded its ability to surprise and delight customers with new offerings.
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Despite Aude’s termination, Apple deems him an “ongoing threat” due to his knowledge of confidential information and history of unauthorized disclosures.
The tech giant seeks a jury trial, damages, and an order preventing Aude from disclosing its confidential information without consent. It also aims to revoke Aude’s discretionary bonuses and restricted stock units.
Apple did not respond immediately to a request for comment sent outside business hours.
