Corporate Secrets at Risk in Hack of U.S. Courts Documents (1)

A cyberhack of the U.S. federal courts filing system puts at risk a range of highly sensitive competitive and financial information and trade secrets, including companies’ sales figures, contracts, and product plans, attorneys said.

Everything from the algorithms ERISA providers use to evaluate investments to pharmaceutical companies’ formulations and chemical processes could be exposed via court documents. Whatever insider information has been improperly accessed could be used to manipulate securities markets and benefit foreign competitors.

“It’s really quite stunning to imagine this information at risk of public disclosure,” said Meaghan VerGow, an O’Melveny partner and litigator who ...