A jury in California has ordered Western Digital to pay $315.7 million for infringing a data security patent held by SPEX Technologies. The lawsuit, initiated in 2016, claimed that several of Western Digital’s self-encrypting hard drives, including its Ultrastar, My Book, and My Passport products, violated the patent covering data encryption innovations. SPEX, which acquired the patent from Spyrus, expressed gratitude for the jury’s decision, viewing it as a validation of their efforts. In response, Western Digital has stated that it disagrees with the verdict and plans to explore post-trial motions and potential appeals.
