IT administrators usually have the most privilege inside a company's computer network.
For good reasons, these people are responsible for the upkeep, configuration, and the reliability of their employer's computer systems, servers, and data security systems. They are tasked to ensure that internal IT structure of the company they are working on, remains up-to-date and online. IT administrators can also work to thwart cyberattacks and others.
Often working in teams, IT administrators are also responsible for managing network equipment and other IT-related structures.
Almost all companies that utilize multiple computers or software platforms have at least one 'IT guy'.
Knowing the high-privilege and access these individuals have, one that goes rogue or berserk can create a catastrophe, even when the person has been fired.
And this was experienced by an IT consultancy firm in the U.S..
Deepanshu Kher worked as an IT administrator for an IT consultancy firm from 2017 through May 2018. The company he was working for, was recruited by a client, a Carlsbad, California-based firm, to help it migrate to a Microsoft Office 365 environment.
Kher was tasked to assist with the transition.
However, the client was not happy with Kher's performance.
When the client sent a feedback to Kher's employer to complain about Kher's work, Kher was then fired.
Kher, who is a Delhi, India resident, returned to his home country not long afterwards.
However, two months later, Kher decided to hack inside his former employer, in his act of revenge.
In his retaliation, the 32-year-old infiltrated his former employer's system, and deleted more than 1,200 out of 1,500 Microsoft Office 365 accounts used by the company. He did that while in India.
With more than 80% of all accounts were removed in an instant, the company's operation had to halt.
This is because all employees of Kher's former employer couldn't access their emails, contacts, calendars, stored documents, as well as Microsoft's Virtual Teams remote management platform.
They were unable to work because of this.
The company's entire operations stopped for two whole days.
"In my 30-plus years as an IT professional, I have never been a part of a more difficult and trying work situation," said The VP of the company's IT division.
Since the company couldn't restore what they have lost because of Kher, the IT issues persisted.
This was when the company informed the FBI.
Kher was then arrested, while flying from India to the U.S. on January 11.
According to the U.S, Department of Justice (DoJ) in its web page, he was "unaware of the outstanding warrant for his arrest."
U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Huff charged Kher with intentional damage to a protected computer, a crime which can lead him to up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Kher is reportedly facing two years behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release. Kher is also required to $567,084 in damages, an amount his former employer had burdened to restore its systems.
"The victim company's swift notification and cooperation with the FBI contributed greatly to the successful outcome," commented Suzanne Turner, Special Agent in Charge of FBI's San Diego Field Office.
"Living in a digital world, it is important to get ahead of the threats, be proactive and predictive in the way we approach cybersecurity."
