A former Disney employee allegedly hacked into the menu and changed peanut allergy information

A former Disney World employee is accused of hacking into software used by theme park restaurants and altering allergen information, removing warnings for people allergic to peanuts.

Michael Scheuer, who was fired in June, is accused of using his personal computer to hack into the menu system and targeting the computer accounts of 14 Disney employees, and even visiting the residence of one of the victims, according to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Timothy Callinan.

Authorities believe no customers were injured.

In July, Disney became aware of problems with third-party menu software it used called Menu Creator and determined that the problems were caused by unauthorized computer intrusions.

They suspected that Scheuer, who was fired for what the company described as misconduct, was responsible for the hack. Court documents say Scheuer worked as a menu production manager and his termination was “not amicable.” The company provided the FBI with information about Scheuer, who had detailed knowledge of the Menu Creator software.

The statement alleged that over a three-month period, Scheuer changed information on several menus owned and operated by Disney. The affidavit shows that in some cases he changed product prices and menu fonts to symbols instead of letters, and also allegedly changed QR codes on some menus to direct users to an anti-Israel website.

According to investigators, Scheuer allegedly made several changes that endangered public health – adding information to some menu items to label them as safe for people allergic to peanuts, even though they could be fatal to people allergic to peanuts.

The statement shows that the menu with altered QR codes and allergen information was identified and was not sent to the restaurant.

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

The statement says that on September 23, the FBI executed a search warrant at Scheuer’s home and seized his computers, finding evidence linking him to the burglaries.

Scheuer denied committing the crime and claimed that Disney was trying to frame him.

The FBI also allegedly found a “dox” folder on one of his computers that contained the addresses, emails, login information, family information and other personal information of 14 Disney employees, some of whom were involved in his firing. Investigators said he continually tried to log into company accounts, locking them out in a so-called denial-of-service attack.

The FBI says that after seizing his computers, Scheuer visited the home of one of the targeted employees and was captured on video from the homeowner’s Ring surveillance camera.

In a statement to CBS News, Scheuer’s attorney, David Haas, said that “the criminal charges confirm that no one was injured or harmed as a result of any changes to the menu.”

Haas said Scheuer has a disability that affected his employment at Disney and claims a medical event resulted in his suspension.

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

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