'Resentful' Wellingborough IT worker carried out cyber attacks at former employers

An IT technician from Wellingborough carried out a cyber attack at a school because he was bored - before becoming more malicious when he realised he would be caught.

Adam Georgeson targeted the IT system at Welland Park Academy in Market Harborough, where he used to work, in January this year.

The 29-year-old, of Robin Lane, downloaded and wiped data from the system and changed the passwords of several staff members.

His actions, which involved 14 different steps, led to nobody being able to access the IT system at all and affected their remote learning capability at a time when most pupils were at home because of the Covid pandemic.

And he also made changes to a Rutland IT firm's system just a month after they dismissed him - including altering passwords and adjusting the phone system used to contact customers.

Today (Monday) at Leicester Crown Court Georgeson pleaded guilty to two counts of unauthorised acts with intent to impair operation of or prevent/hinder access to a computer.

Detective Constable Anthony Jones, from Leicestershire Police's cyber crime team, was the investigating officer.

He said: “Georgeson said he went into the school’s system because he was bored and decided to start deleting things.

"However, he realised his actions were traceable and would be caught and so his actions became even more malicious.

“There was a great deal of resentment towards both his former employers - but that’s no excuse for his actions which caused significant problems for both and could’ve had more damaging consequences.

“I hope this case will serve as an example that Leicestershire Police takes all reports of cyber crime seriously and will fully investigate them in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Georgeson is due to be sentenced at Leicester Crown Court on 27 January 2022.