A former IT contractor at Waste Management in Houston, Maxwell Schultz, hacked into the company’s network after being fired in May 2021. Upset about his termination, Schultz accessed the system by impersonating another contractor to obtain login credentials. He executed a script that reset around 2,500 passwords, effectively locking thousands of employees out of their computers across the country. The cyberattack inflicted over $862,000 in damages, which included disruptions to customer service and recovery efforts to restore the network. Schultz also attempted to delete logs to cover his tracks. Facing serious consequences, he has admitted to the charges and is currently looking at a potential ten-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. Cybersecurity experts warn that incidents like this, often termed "insider threats," are on the rise, particularly among disgruntled former employees with privileged access, highlighting vulnerabilities within the tech and energy sectors in Houston.