Tag Archive for: suit

Apple Lets Consumers BYOK; Is Your Cloud Provider Following Suit?

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Consumers are used to having their messages encrypted end-to-end so that only those with whom they are communicating can see their messages. But, what about their pictures and documents that are stored in the mobile service provider’s environment? Now, Apple has launched its Advanced Data Protection feature for iCloud’s 850 million users and their 1.8 billion connected devices. Apple’s new opt-in offering will provide consumers with end-to-end encryption for their assets and not just messages, ensuring that only the owner of that iCloud account can access that data, giving them unprecedented control. In the event of a breach or insider threat, Apple users’ data will remain safely encrypted, with keys that they control — even law enforcement officers with a warrant won’t be able to access iMessage archives, photo galleries, or anything backed up to iCloud.

This move comes as Apple implements a suite of other modern security measures, including offering users the ability to verify their identity in iMessage and to use hardware keys such as YubiKeys for two-factor authentication. Security professionals have campaigned for Apple to implement the feature—which is analogous to Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) encryption in the enterprise space—after a host of iCloud breaches have leaked the unencrypted private data of politicians, celebrities, and private citizens. Apple announced that it sees the feature as central to its mission of protecting users’ privacy. The company also stated that as data threats become more sophisticated, the security options made available to consumers must keep pace.

Additionally, Apple’s implementation of end-to-end encryption sends a strong message that it prioritizes customers’ right to privacy and security.

Encryption Key Control is Non-negotiable

By offering end-to-end encryption to nearly a billion users, Apple sets a precedent for the industry at large. If Apple is relinquishing control over encryption keys for consumers, it should also be non-negotiable for enterprise-grade cloud providers to do the same. Data breaches can be highly damaging and embarrassing for individuals. The same is true for companies, many of which are legally…

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Dermatology Co. Would Pay $3.7M To End Ransomware Suit

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By Ben Kochman (September 2, 2022, 9:18 PM EDT) — Wisconsin-based Forefront Dermatology SC has agreed to pay $3.7 million to resolve litigation stemming from a 2021 ransomware attack that exposed the personal data of more than two million patients, employees and employee beneficiaries, court papers say.

Under the deal proposed Thursday in Wisconsin federal court, the dermatology group practice would set up a $3.7 million cash fund to reimburse people affected by the breach up to $10,000 for documented losses stemming from the episode. Members of the proposed class would alternatively be able to claim up to $125 for time they spent attempting to prevent fraud or identity theft after learning…

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Tesla files suit against former engineer for allegedly stealing Project Dojo’s secrets

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Tesla has filed suit against former engineer Alexander Yatskov for allegedly stealing confidential information related to the company’s Project Dojo supercomputer, which the company will be using to train its self-driving neural networks. 

According to Tesla, Yatskov downloaded confidential and tightly guarded information about Dojo on his personal devices. What’s worse is that when Tesla found out about his actions, Yatskov reportedly tried to cover his tracks by surrendering a “dummy” computer instead, which contained none of the stolen information. 

Yatskov began his tenure at Tesla as a thermal engineer in January, where he aided in the design of the Dojo supercomputer’s cooling systems. Tesla noted in its complaint that Yatskov had access to Dojo’s cooling information and other confidential information related to the neural net training supercomputer. 

Tesla stated that Yatskov had violated his non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by “removing Tesla confidential information from work devices and accounts, accessing it on his own personal devices, and creating Tesla documents containing confidential Project Dojo details on a personal computer.” The former engineer was reportedly caught sending emails with classified Tesla information from his personal email address to his work email. 

Tesla remarked that Yatskov actually admitted to storing classified information on his own devices when he was confronted by the company. He was placed on administrative leave starting April 6 and asked to bring in his devices so Tesla could recover any stolen information. Yatskov reportedly provided Tesla with a device, though the company noted that it was a “dummy” since it contained none of the stolen information. 

Yatskov formally resigned from Tesla on May 2. When asked for a comment by Bloomberg, the former Tesla engineer declined to provide a statement about the matter. Tesla, for its part, is looking to receive compensatory and exemplary damages. The company is also seeking to secure an order that would stop Yatskov from disseminating Dojo’s trade secrets. 

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Mother’s claims tossed in hacking case suit against school district

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Seven years after a Sachem North High School student pleaded guilty to a charge of hacking school computers, a federal judge in Central Islip has dismissed claims by his mother that the district had forced her son to do computer security work for years without pay. 

Former student Matthew Calicchio and parents Sandra and Michael Calicchio had argued in a 2014 federal lawsuit that Matthew Calicchio, then 17, was forced into what amounted to involuntary servitude by district officials, including then-Principal John Dolan and assistant Principal Andrew Larson. According to a revised 2015 complaint, between 2010 and 2013, Matthew Calicchio repeatedly was taken out of class and lunch to do the work, warned not to tell his parents and told the FBI would raid his house if he did not comply. The complaint asked for damages in excess of $75,000. Sandra Calicchio lives in Chester, Massachusetts, according to court records.

Lawyers for the district and its officials said in filings that the claims were false, and in March a federal magistrate recommended dismissal because Sandra Calicchio, who represented herself, had skipped multiple court-ordered conferences. Judge Denis Hurley agreed and on April 5 ordered the dismissal. He also ordered Matthew Calicchio and Michael Calicchio to discontinue the suit or file a status report within two weeks.

Scott Lockwood, the lawyer representing the father and the son, did not respond to a request for comment. Lawyers for the school district did not respond. Dolan and Larson, now principal at the high school, did not respond. The Calicchios could not be reached. 

Mathew Calicchio was expelled from Sachem schools in 2013, earning a GED that year from Suffolk County Community College. When Suffolk police arrested him, authorities said he had accessed student records, including Social Security numbers and confidential medical information, then posted some of the information online in community forums. 

In November 2014, he pleaded guilty to computer trespass, a felony. After a year of probation, the court vacated that plea and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. 

The Calicchios’ lawsuit alleged district officials had Matthew…

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