DJI Reveals Ex-Employee Uploaded Drone Code to GitHub

ZHANG YUSHUO

(Yicai Global) April 29 — Chinese drone-maker DJI Technology has confirmed that its former employee has leaked the company’s source code on software developers’ community platform GitHub, which has resulted in a loss of CNY1.1 million (USD158,000).

DJI has won a legal case against its former employee who uploaded the firm’s source code regarding agricultural drones on GitHub, the Economic Observer reported yesterday, citing the Shenzhen-based firm. The leak enabled a US hacker to break into DJI’s server and download some code in the second half of 2017. The code has been made secure since then, DJI added.

Earlier this month, the defendant was sentenced to six months in prison for infringement of business secrets, with a penalty of CNY200,000 (USD29,726), Shenzhen Municipal People’s Procuratorate published on its website.

The suspect posted on a Twitter that he “unexpectedly disclosed DJI’s secrets,” and cooperated with authorities to prevent more damage from happening. “I regret my lack of legal awareness, and I am willing to bear the corresponding responsibilities,” he added.

Editor: Emmi Laine