Last month, hackers infiltrated the computer network of Sony Pictures Entertainment. The attackers stole a huge number of confidential documents, which are now being downloaded (primarily by journalists) from file-sharing networks. Since then, journalists have been poring through the files looking for tabloid-worthy information.
The FBI, and Obama Administration, have now formally accused North Korea’s government of being responsible but offered few hints about how or whether it would retaliate. Its proof: The U.S. detected communications between computer Internet addresses known to be operated by North Korea and hacking tools left behind at the crime scene, which the FBI also said contained subtle clues linking them to that country’s government.
North Korea is furious at Sony for producing The Interview, a movie that depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. On Wednesday, a terrorism threat against theaters showing the film caused Sony to cancel its planned Christmas Day release.
What happened to Sony?
When Sony Pictures employees got into the office on Monday, November 24, they discovered that their corporate network had been hacked. The attackers took terabytes of private data, deleted the original copies from Sony computers, and left messages threatening to release the information if Sony didn’t comply with the attackers’ demands. Someone claiming to be a former Sony employee posted this screenshot, which (allegedly) shows the message that appeared on Sony employees’ computer screens:
Sony’s network was down for days as administrators struggled to repair the damage. Staff were reportedly forced to work on whiteboards to do their jobs.
Attackers wiped every hard drive, shut down the email system, and made off with a huge cache of private company data. In the weeks since, they’ve been releasing that data through public torrents, and the press (including The Verge) has reported on much of the information as it was released.
The attackers seem to have pulled whatever was available on the company servers, but that adds up to a lot of sensitive and previously secret information. Private emails from Sony executives revealed infighting over the pre-production of the movie Jobs, as well as Snapchat’s attempts to launch a music label. The leaks also revealed more troubling anti-piracy efforts from the MPAA, including a widespread anti-Google campaign. The most sensitive data so far has been the social security numbers of 47,000 employees, including celebrities like Sylvester Stallone and Judd Apatow.
President Barack Obama said that Sony Pictures Entertainment “made a mistake” in shelving a satirical film about a plot to assassinate North Korea’s leader, and he vowed the United States will respond “in a place and manner and time that we choose” to a hack attack the FBI blamed on the secretive Communist regime.
How damaging were the attacks?
This attack is of epic proportions! Just repairing the network may cost tens of millions. The information released in the leak will cost the company significantly more – especially since that information may be used for years to come. Strategies were revealed, early deals squished, and for nearly a month, employees were threatened and terrorized by anonymous hackers. Sony is already facing two separate lawsuits from employees who say the company didn’t do enough to protect their private information. Then there’s the simple reputation damage: in one leaked email, mega-producer Scott Rudin called Angelina Jolie a “minimally talented spoiled brat”.
What happens now to The Interview?
At first, the hack did very little to The Interview’s release schedule. That changed on Tuesday, when the hackers threatened terror attacks on theaters showing the film. An additional message was posted anonymously, likely from the same attackers, with these threats. Sony reacted by canceling the film’s New York premiere as well as many of the accompanying press appearances. The studio didn’t officially cancel the release, but it gave theater owners permission to cancel screenings if they felt security was a concern. In response, nearly every major US theater chain pulled the film, and Sony officially canceled the release shortly after. Some are still hoping for an online release, but it doesn’t look good.
What happens next?
The FBI is still investigating. In the past, the perpetrators of major attacks have often been apprehended.
Meanwhile, journalists will continue to pore through the leaked documents. A huge amount of data has been released already, and much of it hasn’t been carefully analyzed. There might be more data coming out in the future. It should be fun to watch Sony emails leak out to the public. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of this story yet.
