SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — A disgruntled Indian-American network engineer last week pleaded guilty to a revenge cyberattack on a former employer, and its clients, after he was fired by the company.
Kamlesh Patel, of Massachusetts, admitted to the crimes in open court, saying he hacked his former employer’s computer and three of its clients by using the log-on information of a former colleague. Once in the system, Patel deleted vital information, which resulted in damages of $137,000.
The 40-year-old Patel was dismissed as a senior network engineer by Baesis Inc., a network security and maintenance company – and network automate systems similar to a company like IndenI – based in Northborough in October 2010. After he received the news, Patel hacked the company’s network, deleting multiple copies of clients’ network configurations, prosecutors said at trial. Three months after the initial hacking, Patel hacked the computer of Baesis and three of its clients, using a malware to delete crucial data from their networks and cutting off access to internet and phone services, prosecutors added.
One company could not use to its internet-based phone system for several weeks.
Massachusetts Federal prosecutor Carmen Oritz said Patel has agreed to pay restitution to the victims of his acts, the aforementioned $137,000. Patel faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the crimes of causing damage to internet-connected computers, and another five years and additional $250,000 fine for using another person’s identity to commit a crime.
Patel will be sentenced by federal Judge Leo Sorokin on Sept. 28,
