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Game of Thrones Hackers Demand Ransom (bbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the privacy-woes dept.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Hackers who have leaked Game of Thrones scripts and other data from entertainment company HBO have released a note demanding a ransom payment. In a new dump, they also published a script for the as yet unbroadcast fifth episode of the current series. Company documents and video episodes of other HBO shows were also shared. The hackers claim to have 1.5TB of data in total, but HBO has said it does not believe its email system has been compromised. Documents in the latest leak were marked "HBO is falling," according to the Wired news site, and included legal information, employment agreements and other company files. The Associated Press reports that some documents appeared to contain personal contact information for Game of Thrones actors.

7 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Don't pay by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Any GoT fan worth their salt would likely go out of their way to avoid learning any spoilers (especially from criminals leaking scripts) until they can enjoy the episode at the same time as friends and co-workers, then spend hours the next day discussing the episode instead of working. The thieves got nothing of value. ($.02)

    1. Re:Don't pay by Rockoon · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Back in the day I remember a leak of a Star Trek movie script before the movie was released (it was the one with "Orbital Skydiving" at the beginning of the movie)

      As a fan of Star Trek, the spoilers werent enough to keep me from reading it. What fueled my desire to read it was a curiosity about Star Trek scripts and how that translates to the screen.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
    2. Re:Don't pay by Austerity+Empowers · · Score: 2

      No, any GoT fan worth their salt would sell a kidney to get their hands on GRRMs unwritten books, notes and outlines so they can lord it over the TV watching "normals" who get the entirety of their GoT knowledge from 1 hour fixes on the show.

      Simply getting the TV show ahead of time wouldn't really fan the flame of self-righteousness.

    3. Re:Don't pay by ranton · · Score: 2

      Agreed. TV Viewers managed about five seasons with most major plot points available online and still enjoyed the show. They either read the spoilers if they were curious or kept away if they wanted to be surprised.

      Any non-book readers who enjoyed the first five seasons will enjoy the seventh season even if it becomes spoiled on Reddit.

      --
      -- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
  2. SPOILER! Here's what's gonna happen! by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Funny

    Half of the main characters will die.

    Just like every season.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. GRRM is an devious bastard. good work! by Thud457 · · Score: 2

    "leaked" "scripts"

    greatest fakeout EVAR.

    --

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

  4. Re:So what by Frobnicator · · Score: 2

    That 'mediocre ass-time video' had 10.1 million viewers last episode. You may not think it is, but it's kind of a big deal.

    That's just the thing. Maybe a few hundred thousand of the fans will watch it, but they'll also watch it when it airs, and they'll watch it again online in the HBO site, and they'll buy the entire season again on BluRay. People who watch it early will talk about it and generate buzz for more views as well.

    The amount they could lose on the episode specifically is a tiny drop in the bucket and may even increase total ad revenue. The executives are more worried about dirt on the people, the incriminating emails like bosses running away with the secretary for a weekend, than they are worried about show views.

    --
    //TODO: Think of witty sig statement