HBO data compromised: hackers demand ransom in millions

Several files of the American premium cable and satellite television network, HBO have been reportedly compromised by hackers on August 7, 2017. Hackers, who have claimed to have the entire television series, have posted a new cache of stolen HBO files online. The hackers have now reportedly demanded a ransom worth multi-million dollars from the network to prevent the release of the entire TV series.

HBO has said that it will continue to investigate and is working hard with the police and the cyber security experts. An ultimatum has reportedly been delivered by the hackers in a video from Mr. Smith to Richard Pleper, the CEO of HBO. The hackers have used white text that scrolls at the black background and have given a time constraint.

The ultimatum has asked the TV network to pay in three days or the hackers would upload the entire series of the 1.5 terabytes of stolen data of the HBO shows. The hackers have specifically demanded their six month salary in bitcoin and have claimed that they earn $12 million to $15 million in a year by blackmailing big organizations after penetrating their networks. It has also been said that the hackers would directly deal with Richard and will send just one letter over the details on how to pay. The entire data accounts to 3.4 gigabytes which includes mostly technical data. Other data includes drafts scripts from five Game of Thrones episodes including one episode and a month’s emails which are from the account of Leslie Cohen, HBO’s vice president for film programming.

However, HBO has on August 7, 2017 said that it does not believe that its email system has been compromised. But the hackers have claimed that it took about six months to get control of the HBO network. The biggest threat for the network might be the future episodes of the show with the logo, “HBO is Falling”.

Photo Credits: oianews