North Carolina tech worker found guilty of insider attack netting $2.5M ransom

A 27-year-old contractor, identified as Cameron Nicholas Curry, stole sensitive employee payroll and personally identifiable information from his employer between August and December 2023 and used the data to extort the company via threatening emails. The company reported the breach to the FBI on December 14, 2023 and paid approximately $2.5 million; investigators later linked Curry to the ransom through operational security errors, searched his residence, and arrested him. The case highlights insider risk, third-party contractor access issues, and the potential for significant financial and reputational damage from data theft and extortion.