this post was submitted on 30 Oct 2024
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Using your credentials is not hacking, but once he was canned he no longer had authorization to access those systems. Legally, there is probably no distinction between gaining access by actual hacking vs. using credentials that are no longer authorized.
So yes, their IT processes are deficient, but that doesn't let the guy off the hook or mitigate his punishment.
Unauthorized access is what the US government calls it. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1030
Does the government define "hacking"? I'd imagine not that specific word.
Yeah, the proper time to revoke credentials is before they even know they're getting fired. At all the places I worked, the first sign that someone was getting fired would be that they're suddenly unable to access anything.
It's likely that HIS credentials were revoked, but anyone in IT will tell you there many systems which are accessed by a shared direct username/password login, and yes while that should be changed when needed a much easier solution would be to lock those apps/sites behind a VPN which is much easier to revoke access to.
Exactly. Nothing with shared credentials should be directly accessible to someone off site to begin with. Either way things went down they have a security hole you could fly a blimp through. Either they aren't revoking credentials properly or they have eternally facing systems using shared credentials.
IT systems need a way to pre-enter an account deactivation, and when HR sends a text to the system it makes it live, or something. I've been the IT guy who was told to disable an account, and the user found out before the news was broken so they asked me what was going on. No bueno.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/business/new-york-doctor-dies-at-disney-world-restaurant-after-staff-confirmed-food-was-allergen-free-lawsuit-alleges/index.html
This was my first thought too. Interestingly that death occurred October 2023, while this particular fired employee is accused of accessing Disney's menu systems around June-September 2024.
Almost like this ex-employee saw the news earlier and was then inspired to try to murder someone with bad allergen info.