Jason Needham, Unauthorized Access, Tennessee 2017

Arlington, Tennessee man, Jason Needham, 45, co-owner of HNA Engineering, has been caught red-handed in a massive data breach. Needham pleaded guilty to intentionally accessing his former employer’s computer network, Allen & Hoshall, without proper authorization.

According to the plea agreement, over a nearly two-year period, Needham repeatedly accessed the servers of Allen & Hoshall to download digitally rendered engineering schematics and more than 100 PDF documents containing project proposals and budgetary documents. He also accessed, on hundreds of occasions, the email account of a former colleague at Allen & Hoshall, which provided Needham access to the firm’s marketing plans, project proposals, company fee structures and the rotating account credentials for the company’s internal document-sharing system.

The FBI investigated the case, which revealed that Needham used his unauthorized access to view, download and copy proprietary business information worth approximately $425,000. The breach is a clear example of the devastating consequences of corporate espionage.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra L. Ireland of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Timothy C. Flowers of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. Sentencing is set for July 14, 2017.

The guilty plea highlights the importance of protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access. Companies must take proactive measures to safeguard their data and prevent similar breaches.

Needham’s actions are a stark reminder that corporate espionage can have severe consequences. The case serves as a warning to companies and individuals to prioritize data security and take necessary measures to prevent unauthorized access.

In a statement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi of the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea. The statement emphasized the importance of protecting sensitive information and preventing corporate espionage.

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