News Summary
Ryan Mitchell Kramer has pleaded guilty to hacking a Disney employee’s computer and stealing confidential data. He faces charges for unlawfully accessing information and threatening a protected computer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that he could receive a maximum of 10 years in federal prison. The hacking involved a malicious program that led to unauthorized access to sensitive Disney data, prompting an ongoing investigation by the FBI.
Santa Clarita Man Pleads Guilty to Hacking Disney Employee’s Computer
Ryan Mitchell Kramer, a 25-year-old man from Santa Clarita, California, has pleaded guilty to hacking the personal computer of a Disney employee and stealing confidential data from the company. The plea agreement was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California on Thursday.
Kramer admitted to two felony charges: obtaining information from an unlawfully accessed computer and threatening to damage a protected computer. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison as a result of his actions.
Details of the Hacking Incident
The hacking incident began in early 2024 when Kramer posed as a programmer on the code-sharing site GitHub. He offered a seemingly legitimate program designed for creating AI-generated art, which was actually laced with a malicious file. When users downloaded this program, the malicious file provided Kramer with unauthorized access to their computers.
Between April and May 2024, a Walt Disney Company employee downloaded the program, unknowingly granting Kramer access to sensitive information, including their personal and work account login credentials. In total, Kramer accessed approximately 1.1 terabytes of confidential data from thousands of internal Disney Slack channels.
Threats and Data Leaks
In July 2024, Kramer took further action by contacting the Disney employee through email and the messaging platform Discord. He impersonated a member of a fictitious Russian hacktivist group referred to as “Nullbulge” and threatened to leak the sensitive data if he did not receive a response. After failing to elicit a reply from the employee, Kramer publicly released the stolen data on various digital platforms on July 12, 2024.
The leaked information included 44 million internal messages, private customer details, employees’ passport data, and financial records related to Disney’s theme park and streaming operations. Additionally, the data contained discussions on maintaining Disney’s corporate website, software development practices, and personal photographs of employees’ pets dating back to 2019.
Ongoing Investigations
Kramer did not limit his hacking efforts to the Disney employee. He also acknowledged hacking the accounts of two additional individuals who had downloaded his malicious software. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is continuing its investigation into this major data breach, which has raised significant concerns regarding cyber security.
A spokesperson for Disney expressed satisfaction with the charges brought against Kramer, emphasizing the company’s commitment to working alongside law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime effectively.
Background on Cybersecurity Risks
As cyber threats continue to evolve, incidents like this highlight the increasing risk organizations face through malware and data breaches. Cybercriminals often use social engineering tactics, such as creating fake applications or impersonating trusted entities, to trick individuals into compromising their security. The consequences of data breaches can be extensive, affecting not only the targeted organizations but also their customers and employees.
With the rise of remote work and digital transactions, corporate and personal information is more vulnerable than ever before, making it essential for both individuals and companies to be vigilant and proactive in their cybersecurity practices.
Kramer is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks, where his formal sentencing will take place, and further proceedings may continue as part of the ongoing investigations surrounding this case.
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Additional Resources
- SFGate: Disney Hack Stolen Data
- Variety: Disney Hack Pleads Guilty
- WESH: Former Disney Employee Sentenced
- CNBC: Disney Employee Guilty Plea
- Fox News: Former Disney Employee Sentenced for Hacking
- Wikipedia: Cybersecurity
- Google Search: Disney hack
- Google Scholar: Disney data breach
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cybersecurity risks
- Google News: Disney hack
