Cybersecurity experts arrested during assessment settle for $600,000

As reported by The Cyber Express, two cybersecurity experts arrested during a sanctioned security assessment at the Dallas County Courthouse have reached a $600,000 settlement with Dallas County, Iowa, and its former sheriff. This legal dispute, lasting over five years, has become a significant reference point in discussions about how law enforcement and public institutions handle legitimate cybersecurity operations.

In September 2015, Gary DeMercurio and Justin Wynn, then employed by cybersecurity firm Coalfire, were contracted by the Iowa Judicial Branch to perform security testing. Their scope included evaluating physical access controls at the Dallas County Courthouse. Upon finding the front door unlocked, they closed it to activate the alarm and reopened it using a plastic cutting board, a standard penetration testing technique, to assess alarm response. This action triggered the alarm as intended, but led to their arrest by local law enforcement, despite presenting official authorization documents. Former Sheriff Chad Leonard ordered their arrest, and they were held for nearly 20 hours before charges were dropped.

Despite the settlement, Dallas County Attorney Matt Schultz stated he would prosecute similar incidents in the future.

Source: The Cyber Express