Speaking out for the first time publicly about the growing HP leak probe scandal, the company's CEO, Mark Hurd said on Friday that he knew a fake e-mail was sent to a journalist in an effort to root out the source of leaks at the firm.

Hurd, who delivered an address to the media without taking questions, denied that he had approved the use of tracer technology to aquire additional details during the investigation.

Hurd also added that he knew there had been a pair of investigations regarding the leaks from the company's board. After hiring counsel to report to him in the weeks since the scandal broke, he said that he understands that some of the procedures used by investigators to get information about the matter were very disturbing.

In summary, what began as an investigation with the best intentions, has turned to a direction that we could not have anticipated. The people of HP do not deserve this, nor do any of the people who were impacted, Hurd said. Now we know the depth of what has transpired. I take full accountability to get this right.

On behalf of the company he extended his sincere apologies to journalists and everyone impacted by the investigations.

Hurd defended the need for an investigation but said that techniques used were inappropriate and not representative of the company's way of working.

He added that a report summarizing the investigations was given to him earlier this year but he never read it.

I could have, and I should have, Hurd said.

He further announced that the company's chairwoman Patricia Dunn would resign from her position, effective immediately.

Subsequently he was appointed as chairman by the board, a role he accepted.

Hurd also said the company had hired former U.S. prosecutor Barry Schwartz to perform an investigation of the company in order to assure that a similar could not happen again.

Hurd has agreed to testify before the congressional Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on Thursday, Sept. 28.

HP Mark Hurd Leak