HBO is the latest Hollywood entertainment company to have suffered a cybersecurity breach, as hackers have stolen 1.5 TB worth of data and leaked unreleased episodes of a few shows.
HBO joins Netflix and Sony companies who were on the losing end of a cyberattack, a threat that unfortunately will not likely go away any time soon.
HBO Hacked: 'Game Of Thrones' Script Stolen
In a statement, HBO confirmed that it has experienced a "cyber incident," resulting in proprietary information being compromised. The network is now working with law enforcement and cybersecurity firms in the investigation of the hacking attack.
"Any intrusion of this nature is obviously disruptive, unsettling, and disturbing for all of us," said HBO Chairman and CEO Richard Plepler in an email that alerted employees to the data breach.
The hackers sent out an anonymous email to many reporters over the weekend to announce the hack, referring to it as "the greatest leak of cyber space era." The hackers mentioned Game of Thrones, the network's biggest hit of all time, as one of the shows that were compromised in the attack.
So far, however, the hackers have only uploaded an upcoming episode of comedy-drama series Ballers and mini-movie series Room 104. There is also written material that is allegedly connected to the fourth episode of Game of Thrones Season 7, which is set to air next week.
The hackers are threatening to release more of the stolen data, but it is currently unclear what else they have. HBO has not issued a comment on what the hackers were likely able to steal.
Other details regarding the HBO data breach, including the people behind the hack and the purpose of the attack, remain unknown.
Entertainment Companies Hacked
The HBO hack is far from being the first cyberattack launched against a Hollywood entertainment company.
Earlier this year, hackers known as The Dark Overlord stole the fifth season of Netflix's prison drama-comedy Orange is the New Black before it was released. The videos, which were stolen from the system of post-production company Larson Studios, were uploaded after Netflix decided not to negotiate with the hackers.
Perhaps the most devastating cyberattack on a Hollywood studio, however, was the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures. The hackers, believed to be backed by North Korea, released thousands of emails alongside scripts and videos, and demanded the erasure of comedy film The Interview from existence. The movie is based on a fictional assassination plot against North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un.
