Splunk Files Intellectual Property Lawsuit Against Cribl

Rhea-AI Summary

Splunk Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLK) has filed a lawsuit against Cribl in the District of Delaware, alleging patent and copyright infringement, along with unfair competition. The complaint claims that Cribl unlawfully used Splunk source code and misappropriated confidential information. Splunk accuses Cribl's CEO, Clint Sharp, of founding Cribl using Splunk's code without permission. Despite this legal action, Splunk intends to maintain its customer and partner relationships, asserting confidence that the court will uphold its intellectual property rights.

Positive

• Lawsuit may protect Splunk's intellectual property and patents.
• Over 1,000 patents granted to Splunk signify strong innovation.
• Commitment to maintaining customer relationships amidst legal challenges.

Negative

• Potential legal costs and distractions due to the lawsuit.
• Accusations against Cribl could lead to reputational damage if not substantiated.

Asserts Cribl Willfully Infringes Splunk’s Patents and Copyrights and Has Misappropriated Confidential Business and Technical Documents

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Splunk Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLK), the data platform leader for security and observability, today announced that it filed a lawsuit against Cribl in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, alleging patent infringement, copyright infringement, unfair competition, and other claims. The complaint alleges that Cribl infringes numerous Splunk copyrights and patents, and has unlawfully misappropriated Splunk source code and confidential materials.

Splunk’s complaint alleges that Clint Sharp, CEO and Co-founder of Cribl, founded Cribl using code that he took from Splunk when he was a Splunk employee without permission or a license to do so. Splunk further alleges that Cribl and Mr. Sharp encouraged Splunk employees, who they recruited to Cribl, to misappropriate confidential technical and business documents from Splunk. Moreover, Splunk alleges that since then, Cribl has developed and marketed its software by, among other things, making unlicensed copies of Splunk’s copyrighted software, and is willfully infringing numerous patents awarded to Splunk by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

According to the complaint, Cribl is “a business built on the back of Splunk’s labor and intellectual property, without license and without regard for ethics, the rights of others, or the law.” The complaint explains further that unfortunately Cribl’s actions left Splunk no choice but to file this lawsuit. While Splunk is disappointed that Cribl’s behavior and wrongdoing have forced it to take this action, Splunk is confident the judicial process will determine that Cribl has infringed and misappropriated Splunk’s intellectual property for Cribl’s own benefit. This case is about Cribl’s misconduct. Splunk is not changing how it works with customers and partners, and looks forward to continuing to help them leverage Splunk to drive great insights and effective results.

Splunk has long been a pioneer and leader in the data platform industry, as evidenced by the well over 1,000 patents that have been granted to Splunk by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Splunk remains committed to protecting the foundational innovations that define its reputation and brand.

For additional information regarding Splunk’s lawsuit against Cribl, please visit the Splunk blog.

About Splunk Inc.

Splunk Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLK) helps organizations around the world turn data into doing. Splunk technology is designed to investigate, monitor, analyze and act on data at any scale.

Splunk, Splunk>, Data-to-Everything and Turn Data Into Doing are trademarks and registered trademarks of Splunk Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective owners. © 2022 Splunk Inc. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221005005776/en/

Media Contact:

Mara Mort

Splunk Inc.

press@splunk.com

Investor Contact:

Ken Tinsley

Splunk Inc.

ir@splunk.com

Source: Splunk Inc.

FAQ

What lawsuit has Splunk filed against Cribl?

Splunk filed a lawsuit in the District of Delaware alleging patent infringement and misappropriation of confidential information.

What are the main claims in Splunk's lawsuit against Cribl?

The lawsuit claims copyright infringement, patent infringement, and unfair competition by Cribl.

When was the lawsuit against Cribl filed by Splunk?

The lawsuit was filed recently, as announced in the press release.

How does the lawsuit impact Splunk's operations?

Splunk has stated it will continue its operations and maintain relationships with customers and partners despite the lawsuit.

What is the stock symbol for Splunk?

Splunk's stock symbol is SPLK, listed on NASDAQ.