Apple exposes data management loophole: some employees can still access confidential company files through personal iCloud after leaving the company

IT House reported on August 3 that Apple’s case against OpenAI for stealing trade secrets continues to ferment. According to The Information, multiple former Apple employees revealed that even though Apple has cut off their access to the corporate intranet, they can still access shared documents during their employment. Some employees will even continue to receive notifications when files are updated. These documents contain confidential information such as product launch plans. Former employees said they didn't intentionally retain access but instead accidentally discovered work files mixed in with their personal iCloud data. It is reported that the root cause of the problem is that Apple has long encouraged employees to bind their personal Apple IDs to the iCloud storage space provided by the company. Apple provides employees with 2TB of iCloud space and allows it to be combined with existing personal storage plans. This arrangement resulted in some work documents being stored in accounts that Apple did not fully control. As long as the document is not stored in the "Work" folder managed by Apple, employees can still access it after returning the company device and leaving the company. Apple once launched the Apple Work folder to strengthen control over work files, but internal files stored outside the folder may still be mixed with data such as personal photos and continue to be synchronized after the employee leaves. IT House learned from reports that before the full introduction of Slack around 2019, Apple relied heavily on iMessage for work communication and file sharing. When employees leave, although Apple can cut off their Slack permissions at any time, former employees can often retain their previous iMessage chat records and attachments. The report also pointed out that when executives leave, Apple will strictly review their devices. In contrast, regular employees often receive less thorough reviews, which further increases the risk that files that have escaped Apple's management system will be left on personal devices. Related reading: "Apple sues OpenAI, accusing it of stealing unreleased products, supply chain information and other business opportunities by poaching former employees