Engineer Jailed for Ransomware-Style Network Lockdown

A former core infrastructure engineer, Daniel Rhyne, received a 32-month prison sentence for a ransomware-style attack on his employer’s network. Rhyne, 57, pleaded guilty to remotely accessing the company’s network without authorization, locking thousands of devices by changing passwords and deleting admin accounts. He demanded a 20 bitcoin ransom (approximately $750,000) but failed in his extortion plot. Investigators found that Rhyne had researched methods for changing passwords, deleting accounts, and clearing logs prior to the attack. This case follows a similar incident in March where a data analyst contractor was sentenced for extorting his employer for $2.5 million.