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Title: Ex-Disney Worker Fesses Up to Altering Menu Allergy Info Through System Hacking

A Disney ex-employee recently confessed to breaching the meal menus of the resort's eateries as part of a plea bargain.

Title: Ex-Disney Worker Fesses Up to Altering Menu Allergy Info Through System Hacking

Former Disney employee Michael Scheuer, who was let go for misconduct, confessed to hacking the company's menu creation software. The labored deed included altering crucial details, such as food allergy information, which could have endangered customers at Disney's eateries.

Last year, the Justice Department filed a complaint against an unnamed individual, alleging various computer crimes. Subsequent public disclosure identified the affected company as none other than Disney. Now, Scheuer, who served as Disney's "Menu Production Manager," reportedly admitted to the aforementioned computer violations as part of a plea deal.

According to Court Watch, Scheuer agreed to pay Disney restitution and a government fine as part of the arrangement. His attorney, David Haas, stated, "Mr. Scheuer is prepared to accept responsibility for his conduct. Regrettably, he has mental health issues that worsened following Disney's termination of him during his paternity leave." Haas further noted, "No person was ever at risk of injury, and he is profoundly sorry for the transpired events."

Reaching out to Gizmodo, Haas confirmed Court Watch's report, adding that no plea date had yet been scheduled. The plea date marks the moment when a defendant officially pleads guilty, following a deal reached between the defense and prosecution parties.

Scheuer's alleged offenses spanned a three-month period. During this phase, he tampered with the menus of Disney-owned and operated restaurants, as per the complaint. His less harmful activities involved defacing menus by changing the font to Wingdings, rendering them unreadable. On other occasions, he inserted profanity into the menus. However, the most critical crimes centered on Scheuer's interference with allergen information on the menus. He also reportedly conducted denial-of-service attacks on the work accounts of several of his previous colleagues.

Court Watch provides additional context based on newly manifested court records:

  • Scheuer modified wine regional labels to reference locales of mass shootings.
  • In one incident, he added a swastika symbol to a menu.
  • Additionally, Scheuer leaked the link and password used to alter the menus onto the dark web.

Fortunately, none of the manipulated menus by Scheuer ultimately made their way to restaurant venues.

Disney was embroiled in an unrelated "wrongful death" lawsuit last year following the demise of a woman while dining at a restaurant on their Florida property. She suffered from allergies to nuts and dairy, and her waiter had mistakenly informed her that her preferred meal could be customized accordingly. The lawsuit gained traction when Disney attempted to dismiss the case based on a forced arbitration clause embedded in the couple's Disney+ trial subscription. After a significant outcry, Disney agreed to abandon its questionable legal strategy and allow the trial to proceed.

In light of his legal issues, Michael Scheuer expressed his desire to use his skills in the tech sector's future, aiming to make amends for his past mistakes involving Disney's technology. Despite his plea deal, the future implementations of advanced tech security measures at Disney's eateries became a subject of intense discussion among industry experts and cybersecurity enthusiasts.

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