Laid-Off Intel Engineer Allegedly Stole 18,000 Confidential Files Before Disappearing

Laid-off Intel engineer Jinfeng Luo allegedly copied 18,000 internal Intel files before vanishing, the article notes, as Intel pursues a legal case to investigate the data breach and seek damages. The termination notice was issued on 7 July 2024, with Luo required to leave by the end of the month, and the incident unfolded in the following days, culminating in the transfers occurring to a NAS device after security blocked an initial copy to external storage.

According to Oregon Live, Luo copied as many confidential Intel documents as he could access in his final days, including some labeled “Intel Confidential,” after which he departed the company. Intel detected the breach soon after, but Luo’s whereabouts remain unknown and he has not responded to attempts to contact him for over three months. The company’s lawsuit aims to compel disclosure or pursue international assistance if necessary, though authorities have yet to locate him.