Defend Trade Secrets Act, definition of a trade secret (18 U.S.C. 1839(3))
Under US federal law, a company's records, code or compilations stay trade secrets only while the company takes reasonable measures to keep them secret. Showing them to a buyer without a confidentiality agreement can weaken that protection.
Dated 20 Oct 2026Source checked 20 Oct 2026Basis: primary text
In the source's own words
“(A) the owner thereof has taken reasonable measures to keep such information secret; and (B) the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable through proper means by, another person who can obtain economic value from the disclosure or use of the information;”
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