Ryan Mitchell Kramer, a 25-year-old man from California, has pleaded guilty to hacking into The Walt Disney Company’s systems and leaking over 1.1 terabytes of data from its internal Slack channels. Posing as a hacktivist group named “NullBulge,” Kramer used malicious software disguised as an AI image generation tool to gain unauthorized access to Disney’s network. The tool, promoted on platforms like GitHub, enabled Kramer to steal data and credentials from users who installed it. One victim, Disney employee Matthew Van Andel, downloaded the malware, which allowed Kramer to access his device and obtain stored credentials, including those in Van Andel’s password manager. Using these credentials, Kramer infiltrated Disney’s Slack channels and extracted confidential data, including messages, information on unreleased projects, login credentials, and source code. Kramer attempted to extort Van Andel, threatening to release both his personal information and the stolen Disney data if he did not cooperate. When Van Andel did not respond, Kramer followed through on his threats, publicly posting the data on the BreachForums hacking platform in July 2024. The Department of Justice charged Kramer with accessing a computer and obtaining information, and threatening to damage a protected computer, with each charge carrying a potential five-year prison sentence. Kramer has admitted to hacking into at least two (2) other victims’ systems, with the FBI continuing investigations into these cases. Following the breach, Disney reportedly stopped using Slack for internal communications, and the employee who facilitated Kramer’s access was terminated for misconduct, later filing a wrongful termination complaint against Disney.