Ex-Developer Jailed Four Years for Sabotaging Ohio Employer with Kill-Switch Malware
Ex-Developer Jailed Four Years for Sabotaging Ohio Employer with Kill-Switch Malware — Aug 22, 2025Ravie LakshmananCybercrime / Malware Kill-Switch Malware
What’s new: A former software developer, Davis Lu, has been sentenced to four years in prison for sabotaging his Ohio employer’s network using custom malware. Lu deployed a “kill switch” that locked out employees when his account was disabled, causing significant operational disruptions and financial losses estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Who’s affected
Employees of the unnamed Ohio-based company were impacted by Lu’s actions, which resulted in system crashes and prevented user logins for thousands of users globally.
What to do
- Implement strict access controls and monitoring for sensitive systems to detect potential insider threats.
- Regularly review and audit user permissions, especially after organizational changes.
- Educate employees about the risks of insider threats and the importance of reporting suspicious behavior.
