Ex-Disney Employee Accused of Hacking Menus to Alter Allergy Info

A former Walt Disney World cast member has been accused of hacking into Disney’s restaurant software to alter allergen information, removing warnings for peanut allergies. Michael Scheuer, who was let go in June, was accused of using his personal computer to hack the menu system and access 14 Disney cast members’ accounts, even reportedly visiting the home of one of them, according to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Timothy Callinan.

After problems with Menu Creator, the third-party menu software Disney uses, were investigated, it was “determined the issues were from unauthorized computer intrusions.” Scheuer was fired for what the company described as misconduct and was suspected of being responsible for this hack. Scheuer held the position of Menu Production Manager and, according to the court documents, his termination was “not amicable.”

Over a period of three months, the affidavit alleges Scheuer changed the information on several menus owned and operated by Disney. In some cases, he altered the price of items and changed menu fonts to symbols instead of letters, and he also allegedly altered the QR codes on some menus to direct users to an anti-Israel website, according to the affidavit.

Investigators allege that changes were made to some menu items, labeling them as safe for people with peanut allergies to eat, even though the items could be deadly to those allergic to peanuts. The menus with the altered information were identified and were not shipped out to the restaurants. Upon discovering the hack, Disney reset passwords to prevent further access.

In September, the FBI searched Scheuer’s home and seized his computers, where evidence tying him to the hacks was discovered. Scheuer denied any wrongdoing and declared that Disney was attempting to frame him.

Scheuer’s lawyer stated that has a disability, which “impacted his employment at Disney, and claims a medical event resulted in him being suspended.” The attorney also said, “Disney then failed to respond to his inquiries about why he was suspended and then his suspension was inexplicably changed to a termination. Disney refused to provide a response as to why he was fired and made no accommodations for him. He subsequently filed an EEOC complaint. I look forward to vigorously presenting my client’s side of the story.”

According to the affidavit, authorities believe no customers were affected by this incident.

Source: CBS