Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., issued a long memorandum on its internal blog stating that the company “identified 29 whistleblowers” in 2017, including 12 arrests. “These people not only lost their jobs. It will be extremely difficult for them to find other jobs later.' Apple wrote. On April 13, the company rejected the press request for comment.
Apple briefly introduced information leakage to the media, including a meeting earlier in 2018. Craig Federighi, Apple's software engineering director, told employees at the meeting that some of the iPhones were planned. Software features will be postponed. In addition, Apple also mentioned a software package was leaked in advance, involving specific information on the iPhone X and the new Apple Watch that had not yet been released.
The memo stated that information disclosure about new products will have a negative impact on the sales of the current version of the product, allowing competitors more time to prepare for counterattack, and lead to shrinking sales after the release of new products. 'We want to personally tell consumers that we Where's the product's excellence, not to be disclosed outsiders' tongues and tongues.' Greg Joswiak, an executive in Apple's marketing department, said in a memo.
Secrets of Technology Enterprises
This action also reflects the broad and long-term efforts of Silicon Valley technology companies to track and limit employees' open sharing of information. Companies like Google and Facebook Inc. are happy to share future plans with employees, but these companies will pay close attention. External communication of employees sometimes fires leaked employees.
Recently, Facebook’s chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, expressed disappointment at the leakers. In 2016, Google found that an employee had dismissed the employee after sharing an internal post critical of the supervisor. The latter sued Google to court, saying that their remarks were protected by California law.
Lawyer Baker Curtis and Schwartz's lawyer, Chris Baker, the dismissed Google employee’s agent, said that in the information conveyed to employees, technology companies sometimes do what they can do (such as complaining Working conditions) Confuse with the sharing of business secrets. 'Over-broad definition of what is confidential will make the staff quiet and talk about things even closed,' he said. 'This is problematic.'
Apple is well known for its product development. Tim Cook, its chief executive, vows in 2012 to pay more attention to the confidentiality of the company. Despite this, the media continues to report on the company’s various rumors. Meet the information needs of this company as a key component of many portfolios – many of which support public pension funds for basic workers such as teachers.
In 2017, it was still to terminate the disclosure. Apple secretly held a staff meeting. However, media organizations including Bloomberg still disclosed information about various Apple products, including iPhone X, and the new TV box Apple TV. , New Apple Watch Supporting LTE Networks, Upcoming Augmented Reality Headset, New iPad, Software Upgrades, and Upcoming iPhone and AirPod Headsets.
Following is the full text of the memo:
Last month, information about a confidential session of the Apple Software Roadmap was leaked. Apple confirmed and fired leaked employees. At this meeting, hundreds of software engineers attended and thousands of employees received briefings. The individual betrayed everyone's trust.
The employee leaked the contents of the meeting to a reporter. He later told Apple's investigators that he thought he would not be discovered. However, the leaker (whether Apple's employee, Party B or supplier) would indeed be caught. , And got caught faster and faster.
In many cases, whistle-blowers are not ignoring secrets. The reality is that people who work for Apple often become prey for the media, analysts, and bloggers who work through social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. The network comes to us and then begins to spy on information. These bees and butterflies sometimes make us feel smug, but we must not forget that we are being used. The success of these outsiders depends on getting Apple’s secrets from us. Then it is made public. The exclusive news about unreleased Apple products can bring a huge amount of traffic to a media and bring tangible benefits to bloggers or reporters who obtain intelligence. But this is not beneficial to Apple employees who disclose information.
A breach of disclosure affects far more than just a single project participant.
Leaking Apple's work will hurt the interests of every Apple employee, and their annual efforts during research and development will be lost. 'To complete a major software release, thousands of people need to work tirelessly for months.' Joh Shaffer, the head of UIKit, said that his team is one of the victims of the fall of iOS 11 in the fall of 2017. 'Looking at it being revealed, every one of us is very sad.'
A breach of confidentiality affects not only the participants of a particular project - everyone in the company will be affected. Information leakage about new products will have a negative impact on the sales of the current version of the product; allowing competitors more time to prepare for counterattack; And it caused the sales volume of new products to shrink. 'We want to tell consumers personally where our product excellence is, instead of letting outsiders speak indiscriminately,' said Greg Josvikak of Product Marketing.
Apple's investment has greatly helped the company identify and confirm the ability of the leaked. Before the special press conference in September 2017, an employee leaked the link to the final version of iOS 11 to the media. He felt that he would not be discovered at that time. The details of this unreleased operating system detail the upcoming software and hardware, including the iPhone X. Just a few days later, Apple's internal investigation has elicited the whistleblower and he was also fired. Global Security Digital forensics also helped identify several leaked employees who sent confidential information about iPhone X, iPad Pro and AirPod to a blogger on the 9to5Mac website.
Secrets in the supply chain will not slip through. Global Security has partnered with suppliers to curb theft of Apple’s intellectual property rights and identify individuals who try to surpass their authority. They are also working with suppliers to find loopholes (entities Vulnerabilities and technological loopholes to ensure that the supplier's security level meets or exceeds Apple's expectations. These projects almost eliminated the factory's prototype and product theft. They seized some of the leakers, and also stopped more people who are trying to make it.
The leakers will not only lose their jobs at Apple. In some cases, they also face imprisonment and huge fines because network intrusion and theft of trade secrets are criminal acts regulated by federal laws. In 2017, Apple confirmed 29 The name was leaked, 12 of whom were arrested. There are Apple employees, there are Apple's Party B and partners in the supply chain. These people not only lost their jobs, they find it difficult to find other jobs later. 'The leak may have to bear Criminal liability, this is not empty talk. 'Global Security Tom Moyer (Tom Moyer) said, 'And, this life and professional imprint will follow you forever.'
Although accompanied by serious consequences, leaks can be avoided completely. One can divulge because he did not want to understand the consequences of these actions. 'Everyone comes to Apple for the best job in life. The job is meaningful. Everyone is working hard for the company's 135,000 people to work together. 'Jos Wiak said, 'The best way to respect these efforts is not to reveal.'