Former Disney employee accused of hacking menu system and changing peanut allergy information

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

Micahel Scheuer, who had been fired in June, is accused of using his personal computer to hack the menu system and target 14 Disney employees’ computer accounts — allegedly even visiting the residence of one of the victims, according to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Timothy Callinan. 

Authorities believe no customers were harmed.

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

They suspected 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 termination was “not amicable,” according to the court documents. The company provided the FBI with information about Scheuer, who had detailed knowledge of the Menu Creator software.

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

Scheuer allegedly made several changes that threatened public health, investigators 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 deadly to people who are allergic to peanuts.

According to the affidavit, it is believed that the menus with the altered QR codes and allergen information were were identified and were not shipped to the restaurants. 

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

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

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

The FBI also allegedly found a “dox” folder on one of his computers that included addresses, emails, logins, family information and other personal details of 14 Disney employees, some of whom were involved in his termination. Investigators said he continuously attempted to login to their company accounts, locking them out — a so-called denial-of-service attack. 

After his computers were seized, the FBI says Scheuer visited the home of one of the employees who was targeted, 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 any menu alterations.”

Haas said Scheuer has a disability, which impacted his employment at Disney, and claims a medical event resulted in him being suspended. 

“Disney then failed to respond to his inquiries about why he was suspended and then his suspension was inexplicably changed to a termination,” Haas said in the statement. “Disney refused to provide a response as to 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.”