A suspended IT worker caused at least $200,000 of damage in an act of revenge upon his employer, according to a press release published by the West Yorkshire Police, in England (h/t The Register). The report indicates that Mohammed Umar Taj went on a digital rampage following his suspension from work. Employer-hostile acts included altering login credentials and disrupting the company’s multifactor authentication (MFA) systems. Taj was sentenced to seven months and 14 days after admitting the charges at Leeds Crown Court last week.
With a long history of similar reports in the public domain, it is surprising that disgruntled IT workers are still suspended without system access being revoked beforehand. However, such wise precautions might not be entirely possible to implement promptly for some roles, in some organizations.
