Inside Job: Employee Ransomware Extortion Shocks Industrial Company
Ransomware threat actors don’t always come from outside the organization. Daniel Rhyne, a 57-year-old from Kansas City, allegedly locked down his employer’s systems and demanded a ransom. If convicted, he faces up to 35 years in jail and a $500,000 fine.
Hot Take:
Who needs cyber ninjas when you have Daniel Rhyne, the office’s very own ransomware guru? Maybe he was just trying to spice up those mundane Monday mornings with a little digital hostage drama.
Key Points:
- Daniel Rhyne allegedly locked down his own employer’s network and demanded a ransom.
- The FBI charged Rhyne with extortion, intentional damage to a protected computer, and wire fraud.
- Rhyne used Windows’ net user and Sysinternals Utilities’ PsPasswd tool to change passwords to “TheFr0zenCrew!”.
- He hid a virtual machine on his company laptop for remote access.
- Rhyne could face up to 35 years in jail and a $500,000 fine if convicted on all charges.
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