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Former Disney Employee Gets Prison for Hacking Allergy Menu and Endangering Guests

BBG News

Previously employed as a worker at Walt Disney World, an individual was recently ordered to serve time in federal prison for unlawfully breaching Disney’s allergy menu system, intruding into the resort’s internal network, and manipulating crucial food safety data. This incident sparked significant worries about both guest safety and cybersecurity at one of the globe’s busiest tourist locations.

Previously employed as a manager in charge of menu production at Walt Disney World, Michael Scheuer confessed in January to illegally sending unauthorized commands to a secured computer and committing aggravated identity fraud. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Julie Sneed handed down a three-year prison sentence for this federal offense. In addition, Scheuer was required to surrender his computer devices and pay $687,776.50 in compensation to the affected parties.

As per federal documents, it was disclosed that Scheuer was let go by Disney in June 2024. Despite being dismissed, he managed to access the internal menu system for quite some time afterward through his personal devices. His actions, which were not authorized, involved making changes such as displaying profanity on menus, modifying fonts, and most concerningly, tampering with allergen information.

During the Disney allergy menu tampering case, it was discovered that Scheuer deceptively labeled potentially harmful foods as safe for people with peanut allergies, despite them actually being dangerous. Authorities cautioned that such actions could pose a serious threat to individuals suffering from severe allergies.

Apart from manipulating allergens, Scheuer made several inappropriate alterations such as rebranding wine regions based on recent national disasters, inserting offensive icons onto menus, and causing trouble by interfering with service denial (DOS). In a concerning act, Scheuer paid a visit to the home of one Cast Member who had been impacted by his actions, flashing a victory sign at a security camera before departing. Consequently, Disney transferred the affected employee to a protected hotel and offered security support.

Because the security incident was rapidly growing, agents from the FBI’s Tampa Division stepped in. They searched Scheuer’s home, confiscated his electronic devices, and put a stop to his illegal actions.

In charge Special Agent Matthew Fodor commended the quick action, saying, ‘Strong ties with private businesses form a crucial element of the FBI’s Cyber Strategy. Leveraging our collaborative efforts, our Cyber Task Force promptly identified Mr. Scheuer and hindered his capacity to pose further threats to the public. We are dedicated to maintaining a robust Cyber Strategy that exposes harmful cyber actors in order to uphold justice.’

After reports of the Disney allergy menu being tampered with, Scheuer’s lawyer informed NBC News that while the accusations are severe, no one sustained physical harm as a result. Additionally, they suggested that Scheuer’s personal difficulties might have played a role in the events leading up to his departure from Disney.

Following the incident, Disney stopped using the external menu management software that Scheuer had tampered with. Now, they’ve switched to a manual system for approving and distributing menus temporarily, as they develop a safer, new platform instead.

The incident involving unauthorized access to Disney’s allergy menus serves as a stark warning about the potential dangers businesses confront in today’s digital world, particularly when customer safety and company credibility are at stake.

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2025-04-25 17:58

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