The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has initiated legal proceedings against Microsoft Corporation, alleging infringement of two patents related to “physical unclonable function” (PUF) technology utilized in Microsoft’s cloud services. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, centers on U.S. Patent Nos. 7,818,569 and 7,681,103, which pertain to methods for creating unique identifiers for computer chips that are resistant to physical tampering.
According to the complaint, Microsoft employs PUF technology supplied by Synopsys Inc. in its Azure Sphere and Project Cerberus platforms. Notably, in 2024, Synopsys acquired Intrinsic ID Inc., a company that has previously attempted to claim ownership of similar technologies. MIT contends that Microsoft’s use of this technology constitutes patent infringement.
This case adds to a series of recent patent disputes involving Microsoft. In February 2026, IDrive Inc. filed a lawsuit alleging that Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service infringed on three patents related to file synchronization technology. Additionally, in June 2024, German high-performance computing vendor ParTec sued Microsoft over alleged patent infringement concerning the Azure AI platform.
As of May 18, 2026, Microsoft’s stock (MSFT) is trading at $423.54, reflecting a slight increase of 0.00415% from the previous close. The company’s market capitalization stands at approximately $3.15 trillion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.21 and earnings per share of $16.80.
Microsoft has not yet publicly responded to MIT’s allegations. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the company’s cloud services and its use of PUF technology.