Along with Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election hacks, the 2014 Sony hack and other incidents, the threat of massive hacking and piracy have placed Hollywood on high alert. As with the heavily pirated season seven premiere of Game of Thrones, however, this doesn’t always prevent the worse. Hence the massive hack suffered by the popular premium network on Sunday, which reportedly claimed 1.5 terabytes of data including new episodes of Thrones, Ballers and Room 104.
“HBO recently experienced a cyber incident, which resulted in the compromise of proprietary information,” the network confirmed in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “We immediately began investigating the incident and are working with law enforcement and outside cybersecurity firms. Data protection is a top priority at HBO, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect the data we hold.”
The network didn’t delve into the details, but EW reports the hackers have already released episodes of Ballers and Room 104. What’s more, written material presumably from or relating to next week’s episode of Game of Thrones, “The Spoils of War,” were also posted online. The hackers promised more material “soon” in an anonymous email sent to several entertainment reporters late Sunday:
Hi to all mankind. The greatest leak of cyber space era is happening. What’s its name? Oh I forget to tell. Its HBO and Game of Thrones……!!!!!! You are lucky to be the first pioneers to witness and download the leak. Enjoy it & spread the words. Whoever spreads well, we will have an interview with him. HBO is falling.
Despite the implied warning, however, the hackers have yet to release any actual episodes of Game of Thrones, which no longer provides review screeners to critics to avoid such leaks. Meanwhile, HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler addressed the matter in an internal memo to all network employees. “I can assure you that senior leadership and our extraordinary technology team, along with outside experts, are working round the clock to protect our collective interests,” he wrote. “As has been the case with any challenge we have ever faced, I have absolutely no doubt that we will navigate our way through this successfully.”
(Via Entertainment Weekly)
