Google Sues Ex-Engineer for Leaking Pixel Chip Secrets
Google has accused an Indian engineer of disclosing trade secrets related to the design of Google Pixel chips. The company alleges that former employee Harshit Roy engaged in the unauthorized use of confidential information.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Roy began his career at Google in 2020, working in Bangalore for nearly four years. Court documents reveal that his role involved assisting in the development and implementation of next-generation System-on-Chip (SoC) designs for Pixel devices, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables.
In December 2023, Google discovered that Roy had been photographing confidential data. Following discussions, he agreed to delete the images and provide proof of their destruction. Despite the incident, he continued to work at Google until March 2024, when he resigned to pursue graduate studies at The University of Texas at Austin. However, upon his departure, Roy failed to return his company-issued laptop, breaching his contractual obligations.
After leaving Google, Roy began posting confidential information about Pixel processors on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, including photographs of internal documents and chip designs. His posts were accompanied by provocative remarks, such as, “Empires fall, and so will you,” and “Don’t expect me to honor your NDA.” Google issued takedown requests for the materials, but Roy reportedly ignored them.
The company claims that in early November, Roy shared 158 photographs detailing SoC chips, including an Excel spreadsheet describing the processors’ unique features, architectures, and the vulnerabilities they were designed to address. The leaked materials reportedly included:
- A 78-page document outlining internal schematics and descriptions of audio and sensor processing;
- A 110-page document on video processing;
- A 12-page architectural guide featuring a development roadmap for Pixel chips;
- A 24-page document detailing the security architecture and functionality of SoC designs.
Google asserts that it made numerous attempts to resolve the matter without legal action, but Roy refused to cooperate. Consequently, the company filed a lawsuit seeking an immediate injunction to stop further disclosures. The lawsuit accuses Roy of violating the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) and the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (TUTSA), as the leaks occurred both within the U.S. and internationally.
Google is requesting a court order to prohibit the dissemination of its proprietary information and is seeking monetary damages. The motives behind Roy’s actions remain unclear. Previously, he had alleged on social media that Google fosters dishonesty and mistreats employees. Roy also hinted that the company should lay off workers with severance rather than keeping them “in limbo.”
In response to the lawsuit, Roy issued a statement on LinkedIn: “A case that goes undefended does not count as a victory. I’ll see you in court soon.”
