A Disney employee’s life took a serious turn when he was hacked after downloading a free AI tool to use with his kids.
In February of this year, Matthew Van Andel, a former engineer at the renowned company, downloaded the software from Git Hub, a code-sharing platform.
The application, allegedly meant to produce pictures from language causes, ended up being malware that gave attackers access to his personal data through a password manager.
- After unintentionally getting malware, Matthew Van Andel lost his job at Disney and his$ 200k prizes.
- He assumed he was downloading a straightforward AI program to generate images from causes.
- Hackers made 44 million Disney messages people, revealing sensitive information.
In July, five months after the access, he received a message from a stranger.
Promote iconMatthew Van Andel was fired from Disney after he was hacked after downloading a free AI tool that gave unauthorized access to his personal data.

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The concept, sent via Discord, read,” I have gained access to specific sensitive information related to your personal and professional life”.
Van Andel became concerned when he realized the man had information about his life that he hadn’t shared with anyone else besides him, including emails that had been private sent via Slack about his meal.
44 million communications were made public when he went to the police and blocked their entry.
These contained information about the company’s and streaming income, personal customer information, and individual card numbers.
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Additionally, the legal organization shared his social security number, login details, and credit card information with him in order to access his home security cameras.
Van Andel apparently of his social media accounts, which allegedly grew vulgar in nature.
The thief told the victim that he was part of NullBulge, a Soviet social of “hacktivists” that supports the rights of artists and opposes the use of. However, some believe he was an American acting alone.
Van Andel put the software on Git Hub, a code-sharing platform, to download it.
Image credits: Busran/Adobe Stock ( Not the actual photo )
The thieves claimed online that they had been assisted by a male “on the inside.”
The user “was conscious we had them, he tried to push us out after but let us walk straight back in before the next time,” they wrote in an email to.
” Disney was our destination because of how it handles designer contracts, how it deals with AI, and how it treats customers with such blatant reject,” we said.
” If we said,’ Hello Disney, we have all your Slack information,’ they had suddenly lock down and try to get us out. In a fight, you better flames first”.
Image credits: ryanking999/Adobe Stock ( Not the actual photo )
Van Andel was fired from Disney as a result of the strike after forensic examination of his work system revealed that he had accessed pornographic material, which he denies.
The company’s review of Mr. Van Andel’s behavior that led to his termination is solidly refuted, according to a Disney spokesman who spoke to the recently.
The victim said that his health insurance was terminated following the attack, and he lost$ 200, 000 in payouts.
Van Andel’s girl, Christa Maier,:” It was a device that they had originally downloaded just to have fun with the kids. However, it had some substance in it, and this wouldn’t become evident until several weeks later when they were mining data.
When the engineer cut off the hackers ‘ admittance, they retaliated by sharing 44 million Disney information
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According to Christa, the attackers ‘ intentions were not intellectual but economical.
” Initially, they began stealing a lot of credit card data and banking data, the usual stuff.
” But finally they realized where he worked, and they were like,’ We can have some extra fun with this.’ “
Van Andel and his home created a to help pay for his legal expenses and financial losses following the attack.
Van Andel apparently lost$ 200, 000 in prizes and had his credit card data stolen
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” This unlawful has taken the most extreme measures to kill his career, his finances, his reputation, and every aspect of his personal well-being,” the page description reads.  ,
The scope of these continued nefarious deeds has an impact on the safety and well-being of not only himself but also his family and two young children.
We are hoping we may raise enough money to allow the home to manage this extremely difficult time without any economic strain.
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