Former Uber Security Chief Convicted of Data Hack Coverup

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Uber Technologies Inc.'s former security chief was convicted of concealing a massive data breach in a case that prosecutors tied to the company's troubled past under its original leadership.

Joe Sullivan was found guilty in San Francisco federal court Wednesday by a jury which rejected his claim that other executives at the ride-hailing giant were aware of the 2016 hack and were responsible for it not being disclosed to regulators for more than a year.

The trial featured almost four weeks of testimony that explored cyber security management as well as a shakeup at Uber in 2017 when a series of scandals drove co-founder Travis Kalanick out as chief executive officer.

Sullivan was convicted of both charges against him, obstructing a government investigation and concealing the theft of personal data of 50 million customers and 7 million drivers.

Sullivan, a former federal prosecutor who previously headed security for Facebook, is well-known for his expertise in the field in Silicon Valley. He faces as long as eight years in prison, though his sentence will likely be far less.

“While we obviously disagree with the jury's verdict, we appreciate their dedication and effort in this case. Mr. Sullivan's sole focus -- in this incident and throughout his distinguished career -- has been ensuring the safety of people's personal data on the internet,” said David Angeli, a lawyer for Sullivan. “We will evaluate next steps in the coming days.“

Companies are required under state and federal laws to promptly disclose data breaches. Uber's mishandling of the 2016 attack on its servers resulted in the company paying $148 million in a settlement with all 50 states, which at the time was the biggest data-breach payout in US history.