Intel has filed a federal lawsuit against a former employee accused of downloading thousands of classified documents shortly after being terminated, raising serious concerns about corporate data security and insider threats.
Jinfeng Luo, a software developer who has worked at Intel since 2014, was based in Seattle when the company notified him of his pending dismissal on July 7.
His employment officially ended on July 31 as part of Intel’s massive workforce reduction effort that saw over 15,000 employees laid off worldwide during the summer restructuring.
The Alleged Theft
According to Intel’s lawsuit filed in Washington federal court, Luo attempted to download files from his work laptop to an external hard drive on July 23. However, the company’s security controls blocked the transfer.
Luo allegedly connected a different storage device five days later and downloaded about 18,000 files. Many of these files were marked as “Top Secret” by Intel.
The unauthorized file transfer immediately triggered an internal investigation. Intel spent months attempting to contact Luo at his Seattle residence and two other addresses linked to him, including one in Portland, but the engineer could not be reached.
Unable to locate Luo, Intel pursued legal action seeking substantial compensation. The lawsuit demands at least $250,000 in damages, attorney fees, and a court injunction prohibiting Luo from disclosing any of the stolen confidential information to unauthorized parties.
Neither Intel nor Luo has provided public comments about the case. The tech giant declined to discuss details when contacted by media outlets, and Luo’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
Legal observers, OregonLive first reported on Intel’s lawsuit earlier this week through specialized law and employment news platforms.
The incident highlights significant vulnerabilities in protecting sensitive corporate data during layoffs.
As companies implement cost-cutting measures affecting thousands of employees, insider threats pose escalating risks to intellectual property and classified information.
Intel’s case demonstrates how quickly departing employees can access and remove sensitive materials before security measures can be fully implemented.
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