Apple’s iCloud policy allowed some former employees to retain access to confidential company files after leaving, according to a new report that raises fresh questions about how the company protects internal information.
The Information reports that Apple often encouraged employees to use their personal Apple IDs with company-funded iCloud storage, which allowed them to use the same iPhone and Mac for both personal and professional work.
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This arrangement simplified daily use because iPhones support only one primary Apple ID for full iCloud access, but it also mixed private files with internal documents shared by colleagues.
Since the late 2010s, Apple has reportedly provided employees with a managed iCloud folder that the company removes after they leave, although many internal documents were stored or shared outside that folder.
As a result, some former employees said they continued to access confidential files after leaving Apple, even though they made no attempt to keep the documents or bypass company security systems.
Report could affect Apple’s OpenAI lawsuit
The report arrives as Apple pursues a trade secrets lawsuit against two former employees, OpenAI, and Jony Ive’s io Products, with the company accusing them of taking confidential information about unreleased technologies and internal processes.
Apple argues that it uses contracts, training, device returns, technical controls, and exit interviews to protect its secrets, while trade secret cases often depend on whether a company took reasonable steps to secure the information.
The Information’s findings could complicate that argument because former employees reportedly retained access through systems Apple encouraged them to use during their employment.
Apple said its lawsuit concerns deliberate theft and does not involve documents stored or shared through iCloud, while the company also said it does not pursue former employees who accidentally retain Apple files in personal accounts.
The report does not disprove Apple’s allegations against OpenAI, but it adds another layer to the case by questioning whether Apple consistently separated employee data from confidential company material.
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