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Hackers Break Into HBO's Networks, May Have Leaked 'Game of Thrones' Script (variety.com)

Posted by msmash on from the hacked dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Hackers have broken into the networks of HBO and reportedly leaked unreleased episodes of a number of shows, as well as the script for next week's "Game of Thrones" episode. Altogether, they have reportedly obtained a total of 1.5 terabyte of data. HBO confirmed the intrusion in a statement sent to Variety: "HBO recently experienced a cyber incident, which resulted in the compromise of proprietary information. We immediately began investigating the incident and are working with law enforcement and outside cybersecurity firms. Data protection is a top priority at HBO, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect the data we hold."

82 comments

  1. better way! by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1, Troll

    GOODEVENING HBO
    FROM CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT
    $12.95/MONTH ?
    NO WAY !
      [SHOWTIME/MOVIE CHANNEL BEWARE!]

    1. Re: better way! by chispito · · Score: 2

      Each episode is already available to torrent hours (minutes?) after airing, so I do not see this having a huge impact. If the cost does not convince some people to pirate, why would the timing?

      --
      The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    2. Re: better way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I absolutely hate having to wait a week to watch my favorite show. Having an entire season to binge watch is pure bliss.

    3. Re: better way! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As far as the GoT script is concerned, that's not a piracy worry, but more a concern over the whole series potentially being spoilered.

  2. it's their fault.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    they declared WAR.

  3. lol by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 1

    If they took it seriously it wouldn't have been stolen, nor would they have poked the 300lb hacker.

    On the one hand it's their crappy IT department, on the other hand they might wise up to the fact their buddy's son or an Indian outsourcing (slave camp (or even worse: h1b's...shudder) don't know about IT and switch to a release-the-whole-season-at-once model to avoid leaks.

    1. Re:lol by chuckugly · · Score: 1

      They are likely contractually prohibited due to the nature of their deals with ancient media companies (cable) who don't do streaming. Or they are a pack of retards.

    2. Re:lol by Lead+Butthead · · Score: 1

      They are likely contractually prohibited due to the nature of their deals with ancient media companies (cable) who don't do streaming. Or they are a pack of retards.

      It's both.

      --
      ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!?
    3. Re:lol by Comen · · Score: 1

      Seems like if they really cared they would just release 50 versions of the script online via fake hackers and flood everyone with BS versions.

    4. Re:lol by schleimkeim · · Score: 1

      leak is just the new term for 'official release to build hype'

    5. Re:lol by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 0

      So Hillary assassinated Seth Rich for nothing?

  4. TBH by Njorthbiatr · · Score: 0, Troll

    They probably were just trying to get their HBO Now subscription to work.

    1. Re:TBH by NicknameUnavailable · · Score: 0

      Amazon does pretty well, full episode available at the stroke of 9 PM. Pretty sure it costs as much as the HBO Now thing but more convenient. Also, pretty sure there was a Reddit post the other week with a guy leaking the entire seasons' storyline (though possibly with fake info since he said Greyworm died in episode 3, which apparently was just a scene flashing by as a possible future, suggesting they're giving different pieces to different people in an attempt to weed out an internal leaker.)

    2. Re:TBH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Amazon does pretty well, full episode available at the stroke of 9 PM. Pretty sure it costs as much as the HBO Now thing but more convenient.

      Some peoples' idea of "convenient" is over-the-top knee-slappingly hilarious. You probably think walking half a mile to the nearest well is a convenient way to have a glass of water, and having a sufficient number of servants to change your chamber pot regularly, is the height of cushiness.

      Amazon still doesn't sell files. To call them convenient is a joke. You can only run their player (the only player able to stream their stuff) on certain types of computers using special software. It's not standardized at all.

      As of yet, nothing comes anywhere near the convenience of pirating, because for some fucked-up reason, the episodes still aren't for sale. All any non-pirate services have to offer, is streaming! You'll know when HBO has opened for business in a serious sense, when they start offering something as good as what you can get by pirating.

    3. Re:TBH by Nidi62 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Amazon still doesn't sell files. To call them convenient is a joke. You can only run their player (the only player able to stream their stuff) on certain types of computers using special software. It's not standardized at all.

      Yes, Amazon is so inconvenient. I can only watch (and download) Amazon videos on my phone, my tablet, my Kindle Fire, my Fire TV stick, my Sony smart TV, my blu-ray player, my wife's iPad, my wife's Macbook, and my desktop PC. I should be able to watch Amazon on my smart fridge too(if I had one), dammit!

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    4. Re:TBH by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 2

      You're tedious and pathetic. You know as well as I do that if HBO offered files for sale, you'd complain about the encryption and your inability to "do whatever I want with what I purchased." Newsflash: HBO *has* opened for business in a "serious sense," it makes millions, while you're still living in some Napster time warp trying to rationalize your illegal and anti-social behavior. Get over yourself.

    5. Re:TBH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's BS, and you know it. All of those options require a very fast connection. I don't know anyone that has an Internet connection fast enough at home to be able to stream high quality video. I can download an entire episode in 720p of GoT in a little less than five days. That means that by Friday, the episode is ready to watch. Of course, I get yet another DMCA notice, but I just add that to the pile. If there was a legal way to watch it, I would pay, but HBO leaves most people with no other option if they don't want cable TV.

    6. Re:TBH by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

      If you mean most people can watch 720p streams in real-time from their cell phone, then you are absolutely correct.

      --
      Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
    7. Re:TBH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Entire stores studios and media are built around DRM-free. Profitable ones.

      Get over your Stockholm.

      - different AC

    8. Re:TBH by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where the hell do you live that it takes 5 days to download a 1GB file?

    9. Re:TBH by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 1

      You'd have a point if HBO was obligated to distribute their content to as many people as possible, if everyone had an inalienable right to electronic entertainment. But that's not the case. Get over your whiny sense of entitlement.

    10. Re: TBH by Brockmire · · Score: 1

      Citations needed. I've heard of DRM free games, but know of no successful media company with billion dollars in content creation that is DRM free.

  5. Media addictions. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Breaking in to steal a script? Just like an addict breaking into a pharmacy to get their fix. Unfortunately there's no "12 step" program for this affliction.

    1. Re:Media addictions. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably the script wasn't their target. I imaging the goal was to break into HBO's network first, and then see what they could get. I doubt that the script was even considered a big prize. Now if they found all the cut titty scenes, that would be gold, because most of those will never see the light of day.

  6. anyone actually care? by Nick · · Score: 3, Interesting

    whats the point of spoiling it for yourself? Id much rather wait each week for a complete post-production episode intended for release myself

    --
    Fuck Ajit Pai
    1. Re:anyone actually care? by bano · · Score: 1

      Perhaps the motive is to spoil it for others.

    2. Re:anyone actually care? by Solandri · · Score: 1

      There are all kinds of people out there. I remember when the final Harry Potter book came out (disclaimer: I am not a HP fan), there were people inserting spoilers randomly all over the web (Snape dies) just to ruin it for HP fans who hadn't yet read the book but were continuing with their regular non-HP activities online.

      Anyway, the current and previous GoT seasons are following a common story plot-line trope (break down the hero/heroine until all hope seems to be lost, before they manage to pull out a victory) and have become predictable. Which is kinda disappointing considering a lot of what made previous seasons fun was because they subverted such tropes (e.g. killing off the "obvious" hero at the Red Wedding). So I'm not really sure what's to be gained by spoiling it, both for fans and for people who want to ruin it for fans (unless the end of the story is that the bad guy wins).

    3. Re:anyone actually care? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

      Agreed - at least for me, reading the script would be pointless. It's the actors' performances, the stunning visual settings, and the dragons that make it compelling for me. I already avoid all the articles written about the show anyway.

      Considering it's season 7... they've done a very good job overall keeping up the quality of the show and the scripts. There were a few points last season where I worried they were running out of ideas and falling back on formulaic scenes... but so far season 7 has been all I'd hoped.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    4. Re:anyone actually care? by msmash · · Score: 5, Funny

      Damn, does Snape die? He seemed like a nice person.

    5. Re:anyone actually care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i mean.. unless i'm wrong.. there's this thing called a book.. that you could read.. right? no need to take the script

    6. Re:anyone actually care? by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      i mean.. unless i'm wrong.. there's this thing called a book.. that you could read.. right? no need to take the script

      At the point the story in the show is beyond the point of the story in the books. So the writers actually have a fair bit of creative room, and it would actually be fairly interesting when all is said and done to see how divergent the show ends up being from the book.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    7. Re:anyone actually care? by sgrover · · Score: 1

      Seeing as the book series is not yet completed, and the TV series is all but done (in terms of story development), there are some substantial differences between the TV episodes and the books. I've read the books - and can see the differences. (like the Ed Sheeran scene - that was totally made up...). I'll wait for the episodes to air and not spoil the story. Even if it does get spoiled, the entertainment is in the acting and telling of the story, not just a simple fact (false or not), so I'll still watch.

    8. Re:anyone actually care? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 0

      There are a HUGE number of people out there with empty, meaningless lives. Television is VERY important to them and they greedily anticipate their next hit. What they crave is NOVELTY. They need something new. Waiting for the next season to come out - that would require self-control, and if they had any they wouldn't rank television so high in their life goals. The ability to delay gratification is an indicator of higher than average intelligence.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    9. Re:anyone actually care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, but he does kill Trinity with Rosebud.

    10. Re: anyone actually care? by Brockmire · · Score: 1

      I know there is betting on WWE PPV results, I imagine there is some gambling on who dies in GoT episodes.

    11. Re: anyone actually care? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I know there is betting on WWE PPV results, I imagine there is some gambling on who dies in GoT episodes.

      I'm betting $500 on the answer being "everyone".

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  7. So? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Unless Khalesi is getting her clothes torched off for some reason, who gives a shit.

    1. Re:So? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, sweet memories of the pyre scene in season 2.

    2. Re:So? by gweihir · · Score: 1

      After two times, that gets lame as well...

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  8. Spoiler by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Snape kills Dumbledore.

  9. [SPOILERS] by Thud457 · · Score: 2

    Everybody dies. Some pretty horribly.
    The End.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:[SPOILERS] by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      Unless the White Walkers win, in which case some people un-die. Depending on how soon in the story and where they die, it's possible that some people will die, un-die, and then re-die as they fight the White Walkers and die, get reanimated as a White Walker, then get killed again fighting humans.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    2. Re:[SPOILERS] by CanEHdian · · Score: 1

      The White Walkers are actually going to be "punched a nazi"'d to pieces by an angry #DothrakiLivesMatter mob out for revenge against this "racist hate group".

      --
      When the copyright term is "forever minus a day", live every day like it's the last.
  10. Does anyone care? by Evangelion · · Score: 1

    Is anyone really going to read it who cares? I imagine the biggest use of this will be trying to spoil this for others online.

  11. Last count by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How many of this kind of stories do we need before companies put up the money for security. You get what you pay for.

    1. Re: Last count by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because the cost of security doesn't match the benefits.

      They already have some security. You think they should have "more."

      Your "more" is infinitely expensive, and likely diminishing on returns.

      In other words, you're a fucking moron.

    2. Re:Last count by gweihir · · Score: 2

      The problem is not that nobody understands this. The problem is that you have to get rid of bean-counters in high positions that do not understand this. That is pretty hard to do.

      CEO: What do we need to improve IT security?
      Security Consultant: Fire the CEO and get somebody that actually is able to listen to advice.

      That will go well....

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  12. And someone is supposed to care? by OYAHHH · · Score: 1

    Let's just say this. After watching 4 episodes of GOT I can pretty much tell you what the plot is anyway.

    --
    Caution: Contents under pressure
    1. Re:And someone is supposed to care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You watch stuff just to find out the plot?

  13. Scene from when they find the culprit by backslashdot · · Score: 1

    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    HBO: You haven't confessed yet!
    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!

  14. Scene from when the find the culprit by backslashdot · · Score: 1

    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    HBO: You haven't confessed yet!
    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    Theif: I hacked your system. I downloaded terabytes. I stole your script.
    Theif: Then I doxxed it like this!

    1. Re:Scene from when the find the culprit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Anyone can misspell theif, but do you know how to misspell rouge?

  15. spoiler alert by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!
    HBO: You haven't confessed yet!
    HBO: You hacked my system. You downloaded terabytes. You stole my script.
    HBO: Say it!!

    That scene doesn't end well for HBO...

    --
    #DeleteChrome
  16. Re:And? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Uh.. yes?

  17. Fairly sure it was Confederates by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    They were looking for the pro-racist Confederate images that HBO was planning to sell for their new series, so they could manufacture them more cheaply in China and make money off of them.

    Easiest way to stop this is cancel the "new" series.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  18. WGAS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And again WGAS

  19. Re:And? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Given I've read the books and the ubiquitous "Best Sci-fi and Fantasy Novels of All Time" lists where G.R.R. Martin consistently trades of with Tolkien for the #1 and #2 spots...

    Yes.

    The shows simply expand the experience, if, arguably, in a slightly inferior way to the books.

  20. air gap? by roc97007 · · Score: 2

    If the IP is that valuable, why are the servers connected to the internet?

    If people outside the LAN absolutely need access, provide it with two factor authentication with a hardware token. It's not rocket science.

    But if they were really serious about protecting their IP, air gap it, and insist that the principles who need access do so via private LAN.

    It almost seems like they need something to complain about.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    1. Re:air gap? by gweihir · · Score: 2

      From my experience as a security-consultant: Some bean-counter concluded that because they ere not hacked in the past, they would not be hacked in the future and hence spending money on IT security was a irrational idea.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    2. Re:air gap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not true in this case; massive churn of qualified engineers (for several months, a junior sec analyst was the acting CIO) due mostly to the ambitions of the C-levels and directors immediately below them led to a staggeringly large array of security products - the majority of which are half configured - PA, sourcefire, fireeye, multiple endpoint products - all licensed for all features but are in alert only mode - and an ancient SIEM that outgrew its hardware probably 5 years ago. They had money and time to fix all of those, but chose to play political games instead - not unlike GoT, ironically.

      Almost exclusively a management CF.

    3. Re:air gap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What will this hack cost them?

      How does that compare to the cost of solutions they didn't implement?

      Was their data ever at risk of disappearing?

    4. Re:air gap? by gweihir · · Score: 1

      And another thing that the bean-counters do not get is that security is not created by "security products". Those only create a war, fuzzy feeling....until you get hacked.

      --
      Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
    5. Re:air gap? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, that's not the bean-counters buying those. Those are security officers, management types. Accountants have little-to-nothing to do with this.

  21. What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What's Game of Thrones?

    Is this supposed to be important?

    1. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is a TV show occasionally has naked chicks, therefore considered news for nerds.

  22. Who cares by gweihir · · Score: 1

    The script is really not that interesting. Has it great landscapes and battles? Has it sex? No, just words. Boring.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  23. The Word Among the Cognoscenti is... by RobotRunAmok · · Score: 1

    ...this is meant to be part of what is promised as a long and whining "protest" over GoT's showrunners' next series, "Confederate," which imagines a modern world in which the southern states won the American Civil War.

  24. "Not an IT Company" by Maxo-Texas · · Score: 1

    This attitude is probably the root of HBO's problems.

    It's so common among big companies these days.

    But it could also be inability to get quality talent at the salaries they offer.

    In any case, the leaks don't matter to me. I don't even watch trailers for the next episode. I like to hit the episodes completely tabula rasa.

    --
    She was like chocolate when she drank... semi-sweet at first and then increasingly bitter.
  25. new business model for writers by Thud457 · · Score: 1

    Good point.
    Leave it to GRRM to figure out way to kill off characters twice. Or more.

    He should set up gofundmes so his fans can bribe him to unkill their favorite characters.

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:new business model for writers by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      Good point. Leave it to GRRM to figure out way to kill off characters twice. Or more. He should set up gofundmes so his fans can bribe him to unkill their favorite characters.

      Well, I am assuming the show will at some point (re)kill The Mountain since he is Cersei's personal bodyguard (and it's quite possible that Jamie leaves Cersei or might even be the one to kill The Mountain himself). In which case the show would have killed someone, revived him, and the killed him again. And how many times has Berric Dondarrion died now?

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    2. Re:new business model for writers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      he's dead in the book, gave his regeneration to someone else...

      and theres a whole other Targaryn invading Westeros...

  26. Poe's Law by VorpalRodent · · Score: 1

    In an interesting example of Poe's Law, as someone who has never read Game of Thrones, but has a wife who watches the show (ie - I have a vague idea of the types of things that might be in that universe), the GP and parent's posts are indistinguishable as either a joke or an earnest indication of what could happen.

    --
    Take it to the limit, everybody to the limit, come on, everybody fhqwhgads.
  27. Couldn't you just read the books? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously, why leak a script when the books already give away the plot.

    1. Re:Couldn't you just read the books? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because we're long past the books. George RR Martin is so fucking busy doing 20 other things. It was about 6 years between books 4 & 5 and during that time I noticed he was publishing other material and involved in other projects. Enjoy season 7 because it will probably be another 6 years or more before we see the final book and even then it will probably just be the scripts in novel form.

  28. Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can't see Daenerys' or Missandei's boobs in a script.

  29. Details of leaked script... by prisoner-of-enigma · · Score: 1

    Everyone you like dies. Horribly. Evil rules Westeros forever. Roll credits.

    --
    In the end they will lay their freedom at our feet and say to us, Make us your slaves, but feed us. - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  30. "Extraordinary" indeed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hmmm, methinks his use of 'extraordinary' in

    "senior leadership and our extraordinary technology team..."

    doth not mean what I think he doth mean! :)

  31. crap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This show is crap on pretty much every level imaginable. This is the sort of show for someone who watches sci-fi channel movies/series. I would rather watch sharknado though, because at least it is aware of its level of crapulence.

  32. Anyone has details on how they did it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone has details on how they did it? Part of me says that it's either an unpatched vulnerability or a phisher got credentials, but that is pure speculation at this point.