HBO has joined the ranks of Hollywood entertainment companies to suffer a major cyber attack.
EW has found that upcoming shows of a few series with least one alleged script or treatment have been put online by code hackers who breached the company’s systems - with an increase of threatened to be just around the corner.
“HBO experienced a cyber occurrence recently, which led to the bargain of proprietary information,” the network confirmed in a declaration. “We immediately started investigating the occurrence and will work with police and outdoors cybersecurity companies. Data security is a high priority at HBO, and we take our responsibility to safeguard the info we hold seriously.”
Hackers claimed to have developed 1.5 terabytes of data from the ongoing company. So far, an forthcoming bout of Ballers and Room 104 have been put online apparently. Addititionally there is written materials that’s allegedly from next week’s 4th bout of Game of Thrones. More is promised to be “just around the corner.”
HBO is not commenting on what content might have been stolen, confirming specific titles or the amount of data accessed. This morning, HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler sent an email to HBO employees alerting them of the breach.
“As most of you have probably heard by now, there has been a cyber incident directed at the company which has resulted in some stolen proprietary information, including some of our programming,” he wrote. “Any intrusion of this nature is obviously disruptive, unsettling, and disturbing for all of us. I can assure you that senior leadership and our remarkable technology team, along with outside experts, are working round the clock to protect our collective interests. The efforts across multiple departments have been nothing short of herculean. It is a textbook example of quintessential HBO teamwork. The problem before us is sadly all too familiar in the global world we now find ourselves a part of. As has been the entire case with any problem we've ever experienced, I have zero doubt that people will navigate our way through this effectively.”
Sunday on, an anonymous email was delivered to many reporters announcing the hack: “Hi to all or any mankind. The best leak of cyber space period is happening. What’s its name? Oh I ignore to inform. Its HBO and Game of Thrones……!!!!!! You are lucky to be the first pioneers to download and witness the leak. Appreciate it & pass on what. Whoever spreads well, we will have an interview with him. HBO is falling.”
It’s not clear if the hackers actually have what would be the crown jewel target for an HBO cyber breach - upcoming episodes of the company’s biggest hit, Game of Thrones. So far, no GoT episodes have leaked.
In April, a hacker penetrated Netflix to release episodes from season 5 of Orange Is the New Black ahead of its summer return. And in May, a hacker claimed to have stolen Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, but Disney chief Bob Iger later said the threat was a hoax. The biggest Hollywood hack victim was Sony in 2014, where approximately 100 terabytes of data was uploaded online (versus the 1.5 TB claimed in the HBO attack).
For years, HBO has fought a cyber-battle to keep Game of Thrones storylines key and the show’s content from being illegally distributed - particularly before episodes air. In season 5, the first four episodes leaked online before the show’s season premiere after review DVDs that were sent to the press and industry insiders. HBO has since halted the practice of sending any episodes in advance. That same 12 months, some clips leaked ahead of time from overseas HBO distributors, and even images of Jon Snow’s death found their way prior to the finale aired online. A few weeks back just, a Thrones trailer to be screened at Comic-Con leaked onto YouTube before its release. But those situations were unintentional content leaks. This is actually the first-time the ongoing company has been the victim of a genuine cyber attack.