关于HBO被黑事件的4个问题

攻击电视网络HBO的黑客，在周一再次在网上公布了一批内部文件，表明该网络的电子邮件系统至少有一部分遭到了黑客入侵，尽管HBO 的CEO理查德·普莱普勒曾予以否认。

据《好莱坞报道》称，周一，标记为“机密”的HBO文件被发布在公网上，其中包括HBO热门剧集《权力的游戏》新一季的剧情梗概。

现在，黑客要求HBO为剩余资料支付赎金，而HBO仍在进行“取证审查”，确定问题的严重程度。

以下是有关HBO被黑事件的主要信息。

黑客是谁？

我们并不知道黑客的具体身份，但我们确实了解到了一点点与他们有关的信息。

一个署名“史密斯先生”的人在上周四给许多人发了一封电子邮件，声称参与了此次黑客攻击。《好莱坞报道》也收到了邮件。“史密斯先生”在邮件中写道：“HBO（尤其是可怜的理查德）是在虚张声势。我们‘依旧’掌握了他们的网络电子邮件的完全访问权限……”这句话可能指的是普莱普勒写给员工的一篇备忘录，他在文中称“我们相信，我们的整个电子邮件系统并未遭到黑客入侵。”

“史密斯先生”发誓将在周日公布更多黑客盗取的内容，但此事并未发生。《好莱坞报道》在当晚晚些时候收到的另一封邮件称，之所以没有公开资料是因为“HBO的顶级竞争对手正在与我们协商购买数据。”但这是不可能的，因为竞争对手购买这些非法获得的内容，要承担严重的法律后果。

另外，除了向《好莱坞报道》发送电子邮件外，“史密斯先生”是否真得与此次黑客攻击有关，目前也未得到确认。

黑客盗取了哪些内容？

黑客声称掌握了1.5 TB的HBO数据，比2014年索尼被盗数据多了近七倍。

据称，被盗的HBO数据包括《权力的游戏》的脚本、剧情梗概和营销材料。目前，《权力的游戏》正在播放倒数第二季。黑客还在网上公布了《球手》和《104号房间》等其他HBO节目未播出的剧集。HBO电影节目副总裁莱斯利·科恩有近一个月的邮件被盗，但邮件内容尚未被公布。

但仅这些资料并不够1.5TB。假如黑客真得掌握了这么多信息，剩余的数据是什么？目前仍不得而知。

黑客想要什么？

答案显而易见：金钱。据美联社报道，“史密斯先生”在周一公开数据时，还给普莱普勒发了一则视频信息，要求HBO“用比特币支付我们6个月的工资”作为赎金，据黑客暗示，赎金金额至少达到600万美元。

比特币作为一种数字加密货币，被许多国际零售商采用，包括微软、PayPal和Overstock.com等。最近几个月，这种货币的价格创下最高纪录，因此频频登上媒体头条。在撰写本文时，比特币的价格为近3,500美元。由于比特币很难跟踪，因此被许多计算机犯罪分子加以利用。

黑客为什么针对《权力的游戏》？

黑客并没有给出特别针对《权力的游戏》的具体原因。不过，这部幻想剧集之所以遭到网络攻击的“特殊对待”，可能是因为它是HBO的招牌剧，因此可以代表整个网络。黑客在7月31日首次泄密之后发送给媒体的信息中，曾暗示了这一点：

嘿，凡人们。互联网时代最大的一次泄密即将到来。是谁呢？哦，忘了告诉大家。是HBO和《权力的游戏》！！！！！！你们很幸运，能率先见证并下载到泄露数据。好好欣赏吧，并把这个消息分享出去。谁传播的越广我们就接受谁的采访哦。HBO要衰落了。

在这则警告信息中只提到了《权力的游戏》这一部剧。考虑到它的高评分和热门程度，黑客们或许认为，将其作为目标，是实现他们的目的的关键。（财富中文网）

译者：刘进龙/汪皓

Hackers targeting television network HBO struck again Monday, releasing a cache of internal documents indicating that the network's email system has been at least partially compromised, despite CEO Richard Plepler's assertion otherwise.

HBO files labeled as "confidential" were posted publicly online Monday, according to the Hollywood Reporter. A script summary for an upcoming episode of the network's premier series, Game of Thrones, was also uploaded.

The hackers are now demanding a ransom for the rest of the material, while HBO is conducting a "forensic review" to figure out the extent of the problem.

Here's everything you need to know about the HBO hack.

Who are the hackers?

We don't know exactly who they are, but we do know a little about them.

Someone going by the name of "Kind Mr. Smith" emailed a number of recipients Thursday claiming to be involved in the attack. In the email, which THR also received, Kind Mr. Smith wrote that "HBO (specially Poor Richard) is Bluffing. We have 'STILL' full access to their webmails...." That's likely a reference to a memo Plepler wrote to employees saying that "we do not believe that our e-mail system as a whole has been compromised."

Kind Mr. Smith vowed to release more content from the hack on Sunday, but that didn't happen. THR received another email later that evening claiming that the material wasn't being released because "some of HBO's top competitors are negotiating with us for buying the dump." But that's unlikely, as rival networks could face serious legal consequences for purchasing such illicitly received content.

It's also unconfirmed if Kind Mr. Smith actually has anything to do with the hack beyond his emails to THR.

What do the hackers have?

The hackers claim to have 1.5 terabytes of HBO data, which is roughly seven times more than the hackers who targeted Sony in 2014 got.

The stolen HBO data allegedly includes scripts, episode summaries and marketing materials for Game of Thrones, which is in the midst of its penultimate season. Unaired episodes of other network shows, Ballers and Room 104, were also posted online. Leslie Cohen, the network’s vice president for film programming, had about a month's worth of emails stolen, but the content of those messages has not yet been revealed.

But those materials alone aren't likely to add up to 1.5 terabytes of data. So what makes up the rest of the cache, assuming the hackers actually do have that much information, remains unknown.

What do the hackers want?

Money, apparently. When the latest data dump came on Monday, "Mr. Smith" also included a video message addressed to Plepler demanding that HBO pay a ransom of “our 6 month salary in bitcoin,” which they implied would amount to at least $6 million, according to the Associated Press.

Bitcoin is a digital cryptocurrency that is accepted by a number of international retailers, including Microsoft, PayPal and Overstock.com. The currency has made headlines in recent months for achieving record value. A single Bitcoin is worth almost $3,500 at this time of writing. Bitcoin is used by many computer criminals because it's difficult to trace.

Why are they targeting Game of Thrones?

The hackers did not give a specific reason as to why Game of Thrones was being hit particularly hard by the cyberattack. But it's likely because the fantasy drama is HBO's marquee series, and thus represents the entire network. The hackers alluded to this in a message to reporters following the initial breach on July 31:

Hi to all mankind. The greatest leak of cyber space era is happening. What’s its name? Oh I forget to tell. Its HBO and Game of Thrones……!!!!!! You are lucky to be the first pioneers to witness and download the leak. Enjoy it & spread the words. Whoever spreads well, we will have an interview with him. HBO is falling.

Game of Thrones is the only series called out by name in this warning. Given the huge ratings and hype surrounding the show, the hackers may view targeting it as key to achieving their ends.