Trade Secret

A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers. In some jurisdictions, such secrets are referred to as "confidential information", but should not be referred to as "classified information", due to the nature of the word "classified" in the USA.

Read more about Trade Secret:  Definition, Protection, Comparison With Trademarks, Comparison With Patents, Trade Secret Protection, Discovering Trade Secrets, Cases

Famous quotes containing the words trade and/or secret:

    Though I have locked my gate on them
    I pity all the young,
    I know what devil’s trade they learn
    From those they live among,
    Their drink, their pitch and toss by day,
    Their robbery by night....
    William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)

    The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it.
    Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)