Source: Fortune
Summary
A former IBM cybersecurity official, William Barlow, has filed a lawsuit against IBM and AT&T, alleging that the companies concealed multiple breaches of their computer systems by foreign hackers, including those linked to the Chinese government, from the US government in violation of the law. The lawsuit claims that the companies failed to disclose the breaches and made false assurances about the security of their systems to win and keep federal contracts.
Our Reading
The strategy enters a familiar phase.
IBM and AT&T allegedly concealed breaches from the US government, downplaying or concealing incidents to win and keep federal contracts. The companies’ systems were breached by foreign hackers, including those linked to the Chinese government. IBM’s former vice president of threat intelligence, William Barlow, filed the lawsuit, alleging that he was pressured to soften internal reports and omit details. The lawsuit claims that the companies’ actions implicate billions of dollars of federal business.
The announcement sounds like a familiar tune: companies accused of prioritizing profit over security, and governments left in the dark.
Author: Evan Null
