Sabotaged Server

I can't get at my data any more

[mole]

A disgruntled employee has installed Blowfish and encrypted all of the website data – databases, html/asp pages, the lot and refuses to give me the password.

It's still running, but if I ever need to restart the server (it's NT / IIS) then I’m stuffed.

I’ve threatened legal action but this hasn’t worked.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[ukgimp]

Mole

If he does not respond to the threat you have to initiate the threat to prove you mean business.

If that does not work I would like to say "threaten violence" then carry out threat :-)

[backus]

Agreed. Follow this order:

Threaten court action
Court action
Should action fail threaten violence
buy baseball bat (or cricket bat if in UK, do not buy a rounders bat)
Proceed to offender's abode and smash garden gnomes.
Proceed to offender, aim bat at right kneecap.
etc

[richlowe]

I would hope that you have a backup of the site...

[mole]

yes I have a backup. But guess what - that's encrypted too.

[bird]

This sounds like open sabotage, which would be a criminal offense. In other words, your legal expenses might be minimal, as some state attorney should take over fairly soon.

Actually, I wouldn't even negotiate with the person in such a case. Turn him in right away. He can chose between collaborating or potentially several years in jail.

[EliteWeb]

Encryption rocks, however I do not see how he said everything is encrypted and if you restart your screwed. if it is encrypted its already encrypted. then the data wouldnt be able to be served in an unencrypted manner. Maybe im lost here.

[uk_dokey]

hmm, disgruntled employee. How about ask him what made him so disgruntled in the first place. I can't say that I would ever have an amployee that would do that to me. If I did I would seriously look at how I was treating my staff. Get to the bottom of the problem and try to sort things out, failing that talk to your solicitor.

[john316]

In the US it is called extortion if money is the factor in undoing the encryption, maybe a call to law enforcement would be a good idea.

If it is not money motivated (extortion), I would try a negotiation..it could be something really simple to iron out..