Former Disney employee allegedly hacked menus and changed peanut allergy information

A former Disney World employee is accused of hacking into software used by the theme park’s restaurants and altering allergen information, removing warnings for people with peanut allergies.

Michael Scheuer, who was fired in June, is accused of using his PC to hack into the menu system and target the computer accounts of fourteen Disney employees – reportedly even visiting the home of one of the victims, according to an affidavit from FBI Special Agent Timothy Callinan.

Authorities assume no customers were injured.

Disney became aware in July of problems with the menu software it uses, called Menu Creator, which is owned by a third party, and determined that the problems were the result of unauthorized computer intrusions.

They suspected that Scheuer, who was fired for what the company described as misconduct, was responsible for the hack. Scheuer had worked as a Menu Production Manager and his dismissal was “not amicable,” according to court documents. The company provided the FBI with information about Scheuer, who had detailed knowledge of the Menu Creator software.

The affidavit alleges that over a three-month period, Scheuer changed information on several Disney-owned and operated menus. In some cases, he changed the price of items and changed the menu fonts to symbols instead of letters, and also allegedly changed the QR codes on some menus to direct users to an anti-Israel website, the affidavit said.

Scheuer allegedly made several changes that threatened public health, researchers say — adding information to some menu items to label them as safe for people with peanut allergies to eat, even though the items could be fatal to humans who are allergic to peanuts.

According to the affidavit, the menus with the modified QR codes and allergen information are believed to have been identified and not sent to the restaurants.

When Disney discovered the hack, the company reset the passwords, preventing further intrusions.

The FBI executed a search warrant at Scheuer’s home on Sept. 23, seized his computers and found evidence linking him to the hacks, the affidavit said.

Scheuer denied wrongdoing and claimed Disney was trying to frame him.

The FBI also allegedly found a “dox” folder on one of his computers containing addresses, emails, logins, family information and other personal information of fourteen Disney employees, some of whom were involved in his firing. Investigators said he continually tried to log into their company accounts, locking them out — a so-called denial-of-service attack.

After his computers were seized, the FBI said Scheuer visited the home of one of the targeted employees and was captured on video from the homeowner’s Ring security camera.

In a statement to CBS News, Scheuer’s attorney, David Haas, said the “criminal allegations acknowledge that no one was injured or harmed by menu changes.”

Haas said Scheuer has a disability, which has affected his work at Disney, and claims a medical event led to his suspension.

“Disney subsequently failed to respond to his questions about why he was being suspended and subsequently his suspension was inexplicably changed to a termination,” Haas said in the statement. “Disney refused to comment on why he was fired and made no accommodations for him. He subsequently filed an EEOC complaint. I look forward to vigorously presenting my client’s side of the story.”

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