Which IP protection applies to confidential know-how?

• A. Trade secrets for confidential know-how
• B. Patents protect ideas
• C. Copyrights protect logos
• D. Trademarks protect product features

Answer: (A)

Confidential know-how is protected as a trade secret. This type of protection applies to information that gives a business advantage and is kept secret, such as formulas, methods, processes, and other know-how critical to a company’s operations. The key here is secrecy: as long as the information remains confidential and reasonable steps are taken to safeguard it, the protection lasts indefinitely. If the secret is disclosed, reverse engineered, or becomes public, trade secret protection can be lost.

Patents, by contrast, require publicly disclosing the details of an invention in exchange for exclusive rights for a period of time, so they’re not suited for keeping information secret. Copyrights cover original expressive works like writings or artwork. Logos may be protected in some cases by copyright, but they are primarily safeguarded as trademarks, and trademarks protect brand identifiers rather than confidential know-how. Product features generally aren’t protected as trade secrets in the same way, since many are tied to the actual product rather than to secret information.