Theft of trade secrets at Apple and Tesla
- Cyberpeace Tech
- Jan 27
- 3 min read
A large-scale attack against a strategic supplier in the technology industry has set off alarms worldwide. In mid-December, the systems of Luxshare, a company that collaborates with companies such as Apple and Tesla, were compromised by a group of cybercriminals, resulting in the leak of more than 1 terabyte of highly confidential information.
The magnitude of the incident lies not only in the volume of data stolen, but also in the nature of the content, which is linked to the design, manufacturing, and development of technology products, some of which have not yet been released to the market.
Theft of trade secrets and risk in the supply chain
According to those responsible for the attack, Luxshare's internal systems were encrypted and large amounts of information were extracted. The attackers then posted a notice on underground forums claiming to have documentation belonging to various technology companies and warning that they would make the files public if negotiations were not initiated.
The compromised files included three-dimensional design models, manufacturing plans, electronic schematics, circuit board diagrams, and internal technical documentation.
This type of information is critical in industrial processes, as it contains strategic knowledge accumulated over years of research and development.
Independent analyses of some leaked samples indicate that the documents appear to correspond to real projects and contain internal procedures, logistics flows, collaboration schedules, and personal employee data, such as names, job titles, and corporate email addresses.
The information exposed would cover a period from approximately 2019 to 2025, suggesting that the theft of trade secrets could affect both existing products and developments that have not yet been officially announced.
Impact on technology companies
Incidents of this type pose a significant risk for several reasons. Access to designs and technical documentation can facilitate reverse engineering, unauthorized hardware production, or technological plagiarism, drastically reducing the competitive advantage of the affected companies.
Likewise, the exposure of personal data increases the likelihood of targeted phishing attacks, identity theft, and new intrusion attempts against employees and business partners.
Detailed knowledge of the hardware could even open the door to the exploitation of physical or firmware vulnerabilities in everyday devices.
So far, no official statements have been issued confirming the full extent of the incident, reflecting the complexity of assessing such breaches and verifying the complete accuracy of the leaked information.
A key lesson for Mexico
Although the attack occurred outside the country, this case serves as a reference for Mexico, where many companies are part of global supply chains in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and automotive.
A vulnerable link can compromise multiple organizations, even if they have high internal security standards.
The incident reinforces the importance of implementing robust cybersecurity controls for suppliers and partners, as well as adopting a comprehensive approach that protects intellectual property, sensitive data, and operational continuity throughout the business ecosystem.
At Cyberpeace, we promote the importance of understanding the digital risks faced by organizations and individuals in an increasingly connected environment.
Staying informed and adopting good cybersecurity practices is key to protecting information and reducing vulnerabilities. If you want to learn more about cybersecurity, data protection, and digital threats, follow us on our social media channels and stay up to date.
Comments