Disgruntled IT worker hacks former employer, resets 2,500 passwords
An IT contractor has cost his former boss a considerable amount of money. He was so angry at his ex-employer that he disrupted the company’s entire business operations, resulting in more than $862,000 in damages.
An IT contractor has cost his former boss a considerable amount of money. He was so angry at his ex-employer that he disrupted the company’s entire business operations, resulting in more than $862,000 in damages.
Being laid off is never easy. Most people would be upset for a while, but eventually they would pick themselves up and attempt to find a new job.
However, Maxwell Schultz, a 35-year-old man from Columbus, Ohio, harbored a massive grudge against his former employer after being fired.
On May 14th, 2021, he was terminated from his position as a contract employee in his company’s IT department. Soon after his resignation, he accessed the company’s corporate network by impersonating another contractor to obtain login credentials.
Once he gained access, Schultz ran a PowerShell script designed to reset approximately 2,500 passwords. As a result, thousands of employees and contractors were locked out of their computers nationwide.
The culprit also searched for ways to delete logs and PowerShell window events. In addition, he cleared multiple system logs.
According to the US Department of Justice, the attack on the company’s system resulted in more than $862,000 in losses, including employee downtime, customer service disruptions, and labor required to restore the network.
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Schultz confessed to his crimes and admitted that he conducted the attack because he was upset about being fired.
US District Judge Lee Rosenthal will impose sentencing on January 30th, 2026. Schultz faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Additionally, he risks a fine of up to $250,000.
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