Recent Alleged Cyberattack By Ex-Employee Demonstrates Importance of Employer Diligence On Protecting Network Passwords

A recently unsealed criminal complaint out of the Eastern District of New York raises allegations that paint a frightening picture for employers of the havoc that disgruntled ex-employees can wreak on company computer networks.

The prosecution alleges that a former employee of an unnamed company that manufactures high-voltage power supplies in Suffolk County, New York improperly downloaded company files, accessed the company network, and altered key company source code after his resignation on December 30, 2011.

The employee allegedly resigned because he was unhappy about being passed over for a promotion and set his final day to be January 13, 2012. However, only one week after announcing his resignation, on January 6, 2012, the employee’s supervisor claims to have observed him copying files from his computer onto a flashdrive. Acting swiftly, the company blocked his access to their servers and VPN on January 7, 2013, but unfortunately, this was not enough to thwart the employee’s alleged tampering with the company’s networks.

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