DENTON, Texas (CN) - A company that claims to be the biggest anti-malware licensor in the world claims that a former sales manager swiped trade secrets and took them to a competitor. Kaspersky Lab, which claims to have "more than 250 million users worldwide," says Ruben Garcia took its secrets to Panda Security U.S.A.
Garcia was in charge of Kaspersky's sales in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, according to the complaint in Denton County Court.
It claims that it fired him and he went to work for Panda Security and took trade secrets with him.
Like Kaspersky, Panda Security "is one of the world's leading creators and developers" of computer protection "software for viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, phishing [and] spam" and uses the same marketing strategies as Kaspersky, according to the complaint.
It claims Panda competes unfairly because Garcia helped it develop "a confidential list of current and prospective customers that Kaspersky planned to target for future sales opportunities."
Kaspersky seeks lost profits and wants Panda Security and Garcia enjoined from using its trade secrets.
Kaspersky is represented by Michael P. Royal with Fisher & Phillips in Dallas.
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