Disney Hacked, Held at Ransom over Stolen Movie

The just-to-be-released Disney film "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" is under threat of hackers who're holding it for ransom.

This hack followed with the announcement on Monday night that a huge sum of money must be paid for fulfilling the ransom in Bitcoin. A report by Deadline told of how the allegedly filched film was the fifth movie within Pirates franchise series, while one prominent summer movie to be released during the weekend of Memorial Day. There's no confirmation from Disney that the stolen movie was "Pirates." Pbs.org posted this, May 16, 2017.

On Monday, Bob Iger CEO of Disney stated that Disney wouldn't make the ransom payment.

The cyber thugs pressurized for making the payment in Bitcoin digital currency, while blackmailed they would release the film's 5-min segment first and then another 20-min piece to hasten the ransom's delivery.

Prior to Pirates' hack, one recent cyber assault against Netflix the Internet streamer had resulted in the leakage of ten episodes of the movie "Orange is the New Black" before actual release. It's reported that hackers have as well attacked Hollywood agencies namely WME, ICM and UTA. Earlier during 2014, hackers compromised Sony Pictures Entertainment followed with a demand that SPE annul the distribution of one comedy film "The Interview" that's regarding plans for assassinating Kim Jong-un the dictator leader of North Korea.

Iger, however, says there's no question of paying up. He didn't disclose the name of the movie too which has aroused the storm. Moreover, similar as with all films, the torrent websites will show "Pirates" irrespective of the date it's officially released. Thus seemingly, the hackers are over-estimating their influence over Pirates. With the movie's release date very close, it wouldn't be so likely to suffer following attackers making it their target.

Security Expert Mark James at ESET the IT security firm explains, anything which sports a value is sure to always turn out one probable theft victim, either in the physical realm or the digital. When it has an owner while there's someone else wishing to have it then theoretically a market is created to facilitate a transaction.

» SPAMfighter News - 5/19/2017