Man Pleads Guilty To Stealing 1.1 Terabytes of Disney's Slack Data

In a shocking case of corporate espionage, a young man from Santa Clarita has pleaded guilty to stealing over 1 terabyte of confidential Disney data, compromising the personal and work accounts of a single employee.

Ryan Mitchell Kramer, 25, made the plea on [date] in federal court, admitting to using malware disguised as an AI art tool to hack into the computer of his target. According to the plea agreement, Kramer posted a computer program on various online platforms that appeared to be used to create AI-generated art, but in reality contained malicious code designed to gain access to victims' computers.

Between April and May 2024, a Disney employee downloaded the program, unknowingly allowing Kramer to access their personal and work accounts. This gave Kramer control over thousands of non-public Disney Slack channels, from which he downloaded approximately 1.1 terabytes of confidential data.

The extent of the stolen information is staggering, with thousands of documents, emails, and other sensitive materials now in the possession of Kramer. The data includes bank records, medical information, and personal details that were meant to remain private.

In a chilling twist, Kramer threatened to leak the stolen data on multiple online platforms under the guise of a fake Russian hacktivist group called "Nullbulge". On July 12, he made good on this threat, publicly releasing the data and putting the victim's sensitive information at risk.

Kramer's actions have left Disney officials reeling, with many wondering how such a brazen attack could have occurred under their watch. The company has promised to take steps to secure its systems and protect employee data in the wake of this incident.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of cyber attacks and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in protecting sensitive information. As one expert noted, "Companies like Disney must remain vigilant in their pursuit of cybersecurity, as the consequences of failure can be catastrophic."

Kramer's guilty plea carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of two felony charges: accessing a computer to obtain information and threatening to damage a protected computer. The full extent of Kramer's punishment will be determined by the court at a later date.

Key Facts:

* Ryan Mitchell Kramer, 25, pleaded guilty to stealing over 1 terabyte of Disney's Slack data * Kramer used malware disguised as an AI art tool to hack into a Disney employee's computer * The stolen data includes confidential information from thousands of non-public Disney Slack channels * Kramer threatened to leak the data under the guise of a fake Russian hacktivist group called "Nullbulge" * Kramer faces up to five years in federal prison for each of two felony charges

Related Stories:

* [Link to previous story about Disney's cybersecurity efforts] * [Link to article about the rise of cyber attacks on companies]