Apple Settles With Engineer Who Leaked Mac Software
Apple Computer Inc. reached a settlement Wednesday with a North Carolina man who leaked a copy of the next-generation Mac operating system onto the Internet.
The computer maker sued Doug Steigerwald, 22, and two others for copyright infringement and trade secret misappropriation.
Apple said Steigerwald, a North Carolina State University computer engineering graduate, released a copy of Mac OS X Tiger on a file-swapping website, where people downloaded thousands of unauthorized copies.
Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., doesn’t plan to ship its next-generation operating system until later this year.
The company gave Steigerwald access because he was a member of Apple’s “Developer Connection” group, whose members receive advance copies of software and sign strict confidentiality agreements.
Neither Apple nor Steigerwald would discuss terms of the settlement. But Raleigh, N.C.-based attorney Joe Cheshire, who represents Steigerwald, said his client would pay monetary damages to Apple.
As part of the settlement, Steigerwald had to sign and distribute a repentant statement.
“Although I did not mean to do any harm, I realize now that my actions were wrong and that what I did caused substantial harm to Apple, and for that I am truly sorry,” Steigerwald said in a statement released by his attorney. “I am grateful for the chance to resolve this lawsuit and move on with my life and hope that any publicity generated by this lawsuit discourages others from making the same mistake as I did.”
Apple is still suing the other two people involved in the Tiger leak. The case was filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose.
“We are pleased that Mr. Steigerwald has taken responsibility for his actions and that we can put this lawsuit behind us,” an Apple spokesman said.
The settlement comes amid other high-profile court battles between Apple and people who allegedly leak or distribute the company’s trade secrets.
In December, Apple sued 25 unnamed individuals, believed to be Apple employees, who leaked specifications about a product code-named “Asteroid” to three online journalists.
Monish Bhatia, Jason O’Grady and someone who uses the pseudonym Kasper Jade appealed a judge’s decision Tuesday. It’s unclear whether they will have to divulge their confidential sources for articles that appeared in online publications Apple Insider and PowerPage.
On Jan. 4, Apple sued a 19-year-old publisher of another website that revealed trade secrets about the $499 Mac mini computer.
