Sony Pictures' computers are still locked as hackers demand equality (updated)
Sony Pictures' employees around the globe are still locked out of their company computers after they were hacked on the 24th by a group calling itself the "Guardians of Peace." Now, new details have emerged that shed some light on what they want and how they did it. Someone who claims to be part of the group and identifies himself as "Lena" told Salted Hash and The Verge that it's not money they're after: "We Want equality. Sony doesn't. It's an upward battle." Further, he hints that the whole deal was an inside job and that they have physical access to the company's offices: "Sony left their doors unlocked, and it bit them," Lena wrote. "They don't do physical security anymore. Sony doesn't lock their doors, physically, so we worked with other staff with similar interests to get in."
As you can see, his language suggests either of these two scenarios: (1) The whole team's comprised of ex- and/or current Sony employees, or (2) Some sympathetic Sony employees helped them reach their goal. If the group truly isn't demanding money, it doesn't sound like the typical extortion modus operandi. Instead, they're threatening to release sensitive data they claim to have stolen from Sony's computers if their demands aren't met. Unfortunately, we still don't know what those demands are exactly, as Lena's call for equality is vague at best. It doesn't seem as if they've leaked anything, thus far, though it's unclear if Sony has already negotiated with them.
Update (11/26/14): It's worth noting that Lena used Spambog to contact the publications we've mentioned. Spambog provides disposable email addresses, which means the emails could have been sent by anyone.
[Image credit: Sony Rumors]
