Ex-Disney Employee Charged with Hacking into Menu-Creation Software
Accused of Making False Allergen Claims and Altering Menu Content
A former Disney employee, Michael Scheuer, has agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts – computer fraud and aggravated identity theft – after hacking into the company’s menu-creation software to make false claims about food items containing potentially deadly allergens such as peanuts.
Changes to Menus
According to a court filing, Scheuer made changes to Disney restaurant menus, including:
- Altering fonts, causing some pages to be blank
- Changing information about wines to replace geographic regions with the locations of "recent mass shootings"
- Adding a swastika to a menu
Allergen Information
Scheuer is accused of adding notations to menu items indicating they were safe for people with specific allergies, which could have had fatal consequences depending on the type and severity of a customer’s allergy.
Plea Agreement
Scheuer has agreed to plead guilty to the two felony counts and is expected to enter his guilty plea in the coming weeks. His lawyer, David Haas, stated that Scheuer is prepared to accept responsibility for his conduct and is deeply remorseful for what happened.
Background
Scheuer was fired from Disney as a menu production manager in June and launched a cyberattack on the company’s online accounts in August. The denial-of-service attack targeted 14 employees who had interacted with Scheuer during his time at Disney.
Conclusion
The case highlights the importance of menu accuracy and the potential consequences of altering menu information. It also underscores the need for companies to implement robust security measures to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
FAQs
Q: What is the alleged motive behind Scheuer’s actions?
A: The motive is not explicitly stated in the court filing, but it is speculated that Scheuer was seeking revenge against Disney after being fired from his position as a menu production manager.
Q: What is the current status of Scheuer’s case?
A: Scheuer has agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts and is expected to enter his guilty plea in the coming weeks.
Q: What measures has Disney taken to prevent similar incidents in the future?
A: Disney has moved to a manual menu approval and distribution process while a new system is developed, and has also implemented additional security measures to prevent unauthorized access to its software and systems.
