Uber Drops Lyft Data Breach Subpoena

Top executives from both Uber and Lyft have avoided going to trial as part of a litigation settlement. As a result, they have avoided potentially giving up proprietary company data during the hearings.

This litigation involved Lyft and former COO Travis VanderZanden in California in a case that stemmed from accusations from Lyft that he broke confidentiality pledges for working for Uber. In the Uber case, the company withdrew a subpoena over a data breach incident that reportedly had been attached to an internet address for Lyft’s CTO, according to court filings.

This breach was first reported in May 2014 when it came to light that the DOJ was conducting a criminal investigation determining if Lyft employees were involved in the breach. Lyft itself said it could not find any evidence that its employees were connected, but, as a Reuters article points out, there could be civil action being taken.

VanderZanden had served as Lyft’s CEO until August 2014. It was then when he expressed issues with the leadership and asked to take over as CEO. But instead they only accepted his resignation and he became a VP of international growth for Uber. As a result, he was sued by Lyft.

Reportedly, VanderZanden had told Uber that Lyft’s new CTO, Chris Lamber, had learned how to “hack into Uber’s computer systems and gain access to Uber confidential information.” That, however, has never been proven in court. As a result of the breach, Uber said that up to 50,000 of its drivers’ names and license numbers had been compromised.

But eventually Uber determined that the breach could likely be traced to Lambert, but his attorney said he had nothing do with it. Either way, VanderZanden’s trial will begin in August.