Apple sues OpenAI; former employee exploited ‘rare’ bug to download confidential files
Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that a former employee exploited a rare authentication bug to download confidential files after leaving Apple to work for OpenAI.
On Friday, Apple announced it is suing OpenAI for alleged theft of trade secrets, claiming that OpenAI stole confidential data about unreleased products and sought proprietary information while recruiting former Apple employees.
In the complaint, Apple revealed that former system electrical engineer Chang Liu allegedly “exploited a rare, previously unknown authentication bug” to access the company’s network after leaving Apple for a job at OpenAI. The bug is classified as a zero-day vulnerability, meaning Apple had no time to fix it before the alleged exploitation. Apple has since fixed the bug and terminated Liu’s access upon learning of the security breach.
Apple stated that the bug could have allowed a “few other” people to access data, but server logs indicate that only Liu exploited it to steal confidential information while no longer an employee.
According to Apple, Liu downloaded “dozens of Apple’s confidential hardware-related files” over several weeks while employed at OpenAI. These files included detailed information about unreleased products, engineering presentations, technical specifications, and proprietary project data. Apple claims Liu failed to return his Apple-issued work laptop previously used to access Apple’s network.
Liu also allegedly misused the access of an acquaintance, Yu-Ting Peng, a then-Apple employee who later joined OpenAI. Liu used Peng’s Apple-issued work laptop while she was still employed at Apple and he was not.
Apple said that in February 2026, Liu discovered he could still access Apple’s network storage due to the unknown authentication vulnerability. He did not report the bug under his employment obligations, did not return his laptop, and did not delete the program allowing access. Apple did not specify the program used.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose, and Apple has demanded a jury trial. OpenAI previously stated it has “no interest in other companies’ trade secrets.”
