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Hackers contacted top Sony executives before attack

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Dissent

Martyn Williams reports:

Top executives at Sony Pictures received an email extorting money three days before the company’s computer network was taken offline in a major hack.

The email message was among thousands released on Monday when the email boxes of two top Sony executives were leaked online. It was the latest release of potentially embarrassing corporate information following a major hack on the company’s computer networks two weeks ago.

“We’ve got great damage by Sony Pictures,” the message began. “The compensation for it, monetary compensation we want.”

“Pay the damage, or Sony Pictures will be bombarded as a whole. You know us very well. We never wait long. You’d better behave wisely,” it reads.

Read more on Computerworld.

Extorting money? Makes it somewhat difficult to try to then characterize this hack as “righteous” in any way, doesn’t it?

In a message posted yesterday on Pastebin, individuals claiming to be the Guardians of Peace (GOP) hackers wrote:

by GOP

We are the GOP working all over the world.
We know nothing about the threatening email received by Sony staffers, but you should wisely judge by yourself why such things are happening and who is responsible for it.

Message to SONY

We have already given our clear demand to the management team of SONY, however, they have refused to accept.
It seems that you think everything will be well, if you find out the attacker, while no reacting to our demand.
We are sending you our warning again.
Do carry out our demand if you want to escape us.
And, Stop immediately showing the movie of terrorism which can break the regional peace and cause the War!
You, SONY & FBI, cannot find us.
We are perfect as much.
The destiny of SONY is totally up to the wise reaction & measure of SONY.

The remainder of the paste was links to torrent sites where emails from Amy Pascal (Co-Chairman SPE & Chairman MPG) and Stephen Mosko (President, SPT) had been uploaded.

The message suggests that money, and not the film, “The Interview,” was the major motivation for the hack, doesn’t it?

Category: Business SectorHackU.S.

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