A Microsoft employee is going through federal courts in the United States for several cyber-security charges. The employee is accused of money-laundering and conspiracy from a spurt of ransomware attacks in 2012.
41-year-old Raymond Uadiale was not on Microsoft’s payroll at the time. He joined the company in 2014, two years after the initial attacks. However, he will continue to work for Redmond as Microsoft knew about his misdemeanors and say Uadiale is a reformed character.
Interestingly, despite laundering money from victims of the Reveton ransomware attack, Uadiale’s current position with Microsoft is as a network engineer in cybersecurity. The Sun Sentinel reports that the defendant’s lawyer says his client is a changed person.
“These events occurred about five years ago and it was for an extremely short period of time. Mr. Uadiale has been extremely responsible and cooperative in this case.”
He pleaded not guilty to both charges last week in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The report continues, “The judge did a double take when he heard that Uadiale has been working for Microsoft in the Seattle area since 2014. ‘Cybersecurity, don’t tell me?’ U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Seltzer said. ‘Are they aware of the charges?’”
Despite being cooperative in the case, Uadiale has pleaded not guilty to both charges. The case will proceed in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
Reveton Ransomware
Reveton was a ransomware attack in 2012 that locked down machines with a message purporting to be from the FBI or other law agency. The message would say the user had violated laws for viewing and distributing porn. The user would have to pay a “fine” to unlock their PC.
Due to its use of the FBI logo, the ransomware became more widely known as the FBI ransomware.
