Hacker attack on Sony: threat of data disclosure

A group of hackers, believed to be operating from Russia, are claiming to have stolen data belonging to Sony customers and are holding it as ransom. The hacking group claimed to have infiltrated Sony's security systems and stolen sensitive data. Now the group is trying to sell them to the highest bidder.

Hacker attack on Sony comes after data theft

While Sony did not confirm the breach in its statement, it announced that it is aware of the claims and is investigating them. The Ransomed.vc group said that all of Sony's systems were compromised and that the data is now for sale. Ransomed.vc also threatened to publish the stolen information online if the required payment was not made.

Stage for another big data breach for Sony?

If confirmed, Ransomed.vc's claims would represent another major data breach for Sony, following the notorious 2011 attack that compromised the data of millions of users. That incident led to a congressional investigation and settlements. Ransomed.vc appears to be a recently emerged group, operating mainly in Russia and Ukraine.

Sony faces threat of data disclosure to European data protection body

A bizarre element of this alleged breach is Ransomed.vc's threat to report the incident to the European data protection body if payment is not made. The situation is still evolving and Sony said it is investigating. In the meantime, Sony customers and users should be aware of possible consequences for their personal data.