Spoiler Alert: Hackers Are Gunning for Hollywood (Variety)
The 2014 hack at Sony Pictures Entertainment was a watershed moment for the entertainment industry. This month, yet another targeted attack — this one against HBO — reminds us that cybercriminals continue to target Hollywood.
It certainly won’t be the last attack. The challenge: The entertainment industry remains in a digital growth spurt and keeping up and protecting its sprawling supply chain has proven difficult.
In 2016, the media and entertainment sector was among the top five most-breached industries. There were 37 publicly reported breaches compromising more than 42 million records last year among media and entertainment companies, according to the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Index.
Most of that represents the theft of personal information like Social Security numbers and credit card numbers, as well as emails and sensitive company information — all of which are of great value to criminals. But it doesn’t take into account hackers’ latest and often more attractive target: content. Not only are entertainment companies tasked with protecting an enterprise with sensitive data of all types, they must secure the high-profile content that’s the lifeblood of the industry.