The Journal. The Download That Led to a Massive Hack at Disney
83 snips
Mar 17, 2025 
Matthew Van Andel, a software engineering manager at Disney, shares his startling experience with a cyberattack that unraveled his life. He accidentally downloaded a trojan horse from an AI tool, exposing not just his personal data but also Disney's sensitive information. Van Andel dives into the chaos that ensued, revealing the shocking impact on his career, including wrongful termination. He discusses the pressing need for better cybersecurity measures and reflects on the emotional toll of facing public scrutiny amid a corporate crisis.
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The Initial Infection
- Dutch Van Andel downloaded Vision LLM, an AI image generator, for his sons.
- Unbeknownst to him, it contained malware, leading to a major hack.
The Lunch Leak
- A hacker accessed Dutch's work Slack messages, revealing a seemingly innocuous lunch conversation.
- This alerted Dutch to the compromise, as the hacker had no legitimate way to know this information.
1Password as the Master Key
- The hacker gained access to Dutch's 1Password, containing passwords and personal data, including two-factor authentication codes.
- This "master key" provided comprehensive access to Dutch's digital life.