Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Slack Files
- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan Mitchell Kramer, 25, of Santa Clarita, Calif., has pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to hacking the personal computer of a Disney...
- Kramer admitted to one count of accessing a computer to obtain data and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer.
- According to court documents, kramer, in early 2024, distributed a computer program online that purported to create AI-generated art.
Disney Employee Hacking: California Man Pleads guilty to Data Theft
Table of Contents
- Disney Employee Hacking: California Man Pleads guilty to Data Theft
- Disney Employee Hacking: Your Questions Answered
- What happened in the Disney employee hacking case?
- what where the felony charges against Ryan Mitchell Kramer?
- What is the potential penalty for these charges?
- How did Kramer gain access to the Disney employee’s computer?
- When did the hacking occur?
- What data did Kramer steal?
- Did Kramer attempt to extort Disney?
- Did kramer release the stolen data?
- What kind of data was included in the leak?
- What was Disney’s response to the breach?
- Is the FBI involved in the investigation?
- Are there any other victims besides the Disney employee?
- Where will Kramer appear in court?
- Summary of Key Events
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan Mitchell Kramer, 25, of Santa Clarita, Calif., has pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to hacking the personal computer of a Disney employee and stealing over 1 terabyte of confidential data last year.
felony Charges and Potential Penalties
Kramer admitted to one count of accessing a computer to obtain data and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Details of the Hacking Scheme
According to court documents, kramer, in early 2024, distributed a computer program online that purported to create AI-generated art. However, the program contained malicious code designed to grant him unauthorized access to victims’ computers.
Disney Employee Targeted
Between April and May 2024, a Disney employee downloaded the program, inadvertently providing Kramer access to both personal and work accounts, including a private Disney Slack channel. He then downloaded approximately 1.1 terabytes of sensitive data from thousands of Disney Slack channels.
Extortion Attempt and Data Leak
In July 2024, Kramer, posing as a member of a fictitious Russian hacktivist group called “Nullbulge,” contacted the victim. He threatened to release the victim’s personal information and Disney Slack data.Kramer followed through on July 12, publicly releasing the data, including banking, medical, and personal details, on various online platforms.
Disney’s Response and FBI Involvement
The breach became public on July 15, 2024, following a report. Disney stated it was investigating the incident. The FBI is also conducting its own inquiry.
Contents of the Leaked Data
The compromised files included “conversations about maintaining Disney’s corporate website, software advancement, assessments of candidates for employment, programs for emerging leaders within ESPN and photos of employees’ dogs, with data stretching back to at least 2019,” according to reports.
Disney’s Statement
A Disney spokesperson released a statement saying, “We are pleased that this individual has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges. We remain committed to working closely with law enforcement, as we did in this case, to ensure that cybercriminals are brought to justice.”
Additional Victims and Court Appearance
Kramer has admitted to hacking the computers of at least two other individuals using his malware. He is scheduled to appear in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
Disney Employee Hacking: Your Questions Answered
This article presents a Q&A on the Disney employee hacking case, providing data based on the provided news report. We’ll break down the key facts, the hacker’s actions, and the consequences.
What happened in the Disney employee hacking case?
Ryan Mitchell Kramer, a 25-year-old from Santa Clarita, California, pleaded guilty to two felony charges related to hacking a Disney employee’s computer and stealing over 1 terabyte of confidential data.
what where the felony charges against Ryan Mitchell Kramer?
Kramer pleaded guilty to:
Accessing a computer to obtain data.
Threatening to damage a protected computer.
What is the potential penalty for these charges?
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
How did Kramer gain access to the Disney employee’s computer?
According to court documents, Kramer distributed a computer program online that purported to create AI-generated art. However, the program contained malicious code designed to grant him unauthorized access to victims’ computers. A Disney employee downloaded this program, inadvertently providing Kramer access to their computer.
When did the hacking occur?
The hacking took place between April and May 2024.
What data did Kramer steal?
Kramer downloaded approximately 1.1 terabytes of sensitive data from thousands of Disney Slack channels.
Did Kramer attempt to extort Disney?
Yes, in July 2024, Kramer, posing as a member of a fictitious Russian hacktivist group called “Nullbulge,” contacted the victim and threatened to release personal and Disney Slack data.
Did kramer release the stolen data?
Yes, Kramer followed through on his threat and publicly released the data on July 12, 2024, including banking, medical, and personal details.
What kind of data was included in the leak?
The compromised files included,”conversations about maintaining Disney’s corporate website,software advancement,assessments of candidates for employment,programs for emerging leaders within ESPN and photos of employees’ dogs,with data stretching back to at least 2019,” according to reports.
What was Disney’s response to the breach?
Disney stated they were investigating the incident in response to the breach becoming public on July 15, 2024. They also released a statement saying they were pleased that Kramer had pleaded guilty and were committed to working with law enforcement.
Is the FBI involved in the investigation?
Yes, the FBI is also conducting its own inquiry.
Are there any other victims besides the Disney employee?
Yes, Kramer has admitted to hacking the computers of at least two other individuals using his malware.
Where will Kramer appear in court?
Kramer is scheduled to appear in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
Summary of Key Events
| Event | Date | Details |
| ————————– | ————– | ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— |
| Hacking of disney employee | April-May 2024 | Kramer gains access via malicious AI-generated art program, steals 1.1 TB of data. |
| Extortion Attempt | July 2024 | kramer, posing as “Nullbulge,” threatens to release stolen data.|
| Data Leak | July 12, 2024 | Kramer releases personal, banking, and medical data. |
| Public Announcement | July 15, 2024 | Disney announces investigation. |
| Guilty Plea | Not specified | Kramer pleads guilty to two felony charges: accessing a computer to obtain data and threatening to damage a protected computer. |