Disgruntled IT expert locks San Francisco network

Los Angeles: A "rogue" computer engineer employed by the City of San Francisco has allegedly changed a master password on the authority's entire computer network, locking out administrators. He is refusing to reveal the new code even after being sent to jail.

Terry Childs, 43, who had reportedly faced disciplinary problems at work, is accused of hijacking the city's new multimillion dollar FiberWan system, which stores 60 per cent of such sensitive data as legal records, emails and payroll documents.

Officials have called in experts from Silicon Valley to try to crack Childs's code, but say it could take weeks.

Childs, meanwhile, is being held in jail in lieu of $5 million (Dh18.35 million) bail and is refusing to co-operate. He is still being paid his six-figure salary, according to reports. The actions of the software expert, an employee for five years who helped to build the fibre optic network, were discovered during a routine inspection. Police were alerted.

Authorities told the San Francisco Chronicle that Childs had become increasingly protective of the computer system and had begun taking pictures of the new head of the technology department after she launched a review of password-protected access. Officials in the department discovered that Childs had also devised a way to read emails written by his superiors which alluded to his conduct. He was asked to leave work last week but officials did not have time to act before he allegedly locked out all administrators.

Childs was arrested on Sunday at his home near San Francisco and has been charged with four counts of computer network tampering causing losses in excess of $200,000 (Dh743,000).

He was due in court yesterday and could face seven years in jail if convicted. Gavin Newsom, San Francisco's mayor, described Childs as a formerly well-regarded worker who had apparently turned into a "rogue employee that got a bit maniacal".