Threat By Hackers To Release Upcoming GOT Episodes May Indicate More Serious Issue

Yet another spoiler for Game of Thrones fans may be on the way; but not in this article. It seems that HBO has experienced an unfortunate “cyber incident” of late and some mean and spiteful hackers have stolen about 1.5 terabytes of data from the premium cable network. Whoever did it is threatening to release the script for forthcoming episodes of the popular series as well as those of other shows.  Supposedly, the thieves have already posted episodes of Ballers and Room 104 online.

It isn’t known why anyone would want to spoil the surprise for the 10 million fans of Game of Thrones, but HBO did indeed confirme there was an incident and is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity firms to get to the bottom of it.

What does this mean for viewers? Of course, while not particularly threatening in the grand scheme of things, it means that you might know the details of your favorite shows before they are broadcasts. That's just a real bummer. However, it could also indicate a weakness in HBOs network for subscribers as well. The company has information on subscribers to various on demand services it provides such as HBO Go. While no one has mentioned theft of login and password details, it is a possibility. Therefore, if you do have one of these accounts, it may be a good idea to take a few minutes and make sure your passwords are strong.

When doing so, remember to use:

• At least eight characters,
• At least one number and one special character,
• Words or phrases that cannot be found in a dictionary,
• Words or phrases that do not divulge any confidential or sensitive information about you; such as your birthdate or social security number.

This isn’t the first time entertainment information has been accessed in an unauthorized manner. If you recall, there was a data breach at Sony Pictures a few years ago that resulted in quite the scandal surrounding salaries of executives, the leak of a controversial movie, and other information. This ordeal ultimately cost several people their jobs, significant loss of productivity, and in the tens of millions of dollars just in investigative and other costs.

Disney was a recent victim after someone allegedly stole a digital copy and threatened to release the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie if ransom wasn’t paid; which the company refused. However, after some investigation Disney concluded it was a hoax. However, hoaxes still cost money and while the final tally may not have been in the tens of millions, it most certainly wasn’t nothing.