Disgruntled employee takes revenge with cyberattack

An IT worker in the UK has been handed a prison sentence for launching a cyberattack against his employer after being suspended.

Mohammed Umar Taj, 31, made a move against his employer within hours of being suspended from work in July 2022. He caused the Huddersfield-based company at least £200,000 ($273,800) in lost business, as well as reputational harm, according to authorities.

West Yorkshire police said Taj gained access to the company’s premises and unlawfully accessed computer systems to alter login credentials and disrupt the firm’s day-to-day activities.

The next day, Taj changed access credentials and the company’s multi-factor authentication, adversely impacting the firm’s clients in the UK and abroad, in Germany and Bahrain.

Investigators from West Yorkshire Police’s cyber team also forensically recovered recordings of his activities, which he discussed on the phone.

Taj admitted before Leeds Crown Court that he committed unauthorized acts with intent to impair the operation of or hindering access to a computer. He was sentenced to seven months and 14 days in custody.

“Taj set out to get revenge on his employer following his suspension from work. He did so by targeting their IT system, which he had privileged access to,” Detective Sergeant Lindsey Brants of the police cyber crime unit said.

“By doing this, he created a ripple effect of disruption far beyond the shores of the UK. Protecting your network prevents data loss and costly cyberattacks. It also maintains trust with clients and stakeholders. We urge all businesses to look at their network security.”