Sony Picture Entertainment complies to incredible demands

Dec 20, 2014 09:00 GMT  ·  By

It should be clear by now that not all messages allegedly signed by Guardians of Peace (GoP), the hackers who stole information from Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) computers and leaked it online, are from one and the same group.

The latest message addressing Sony executives and claiming to be from GoP leaves the impression that the hackers have achieved their goal and give the studio a break, allowing it to distribute an edited version of “The Interview” comedy.

Two communications relay different messages

“You have suffered through enough threats. We lift the ban,” a message appearing to be signed by GoP and published on Pastebin says.

However, the authors warn that certain rules have to be respected, otherwise “September 11 may happen again.”

A set of three indications are given:

“Rule #1: no death scene of Kim Jong Un being too happy Rule #2: do not test us again Rule #3: if you make anything else, we will be here ready to fight.”

This may look like a ray of sunshine, but prior to this message, the SPE executives received on Thursday a totally different email, which relayed the hackers’ appreciation for Sony pulling the release of the movie.

It also claimed to be from GoP and included a new set of demands. These are in the same lines as cancelling the release of the movie, only more drastic as they ask that all content related to the comedy “The Interview” be taken off the Internet.

By all content, the hackers meant not just the movie itself, which might have been released on DVD and VOD or on piracy websites, but also trailers, images, or websites created to promote the motion picture.

To everyone’s surprise, Sony complied and the official websites of the movie are now redirecting visitors to the Sony Pictures page. Gone are the Facebook account for the project, as well as the official trailers.

Even the Twitter account for the movie seems to be in the process of being removed because the feed no longer loads.

It is true that the demands Sony complied with until now were shared by the senders with the company's executives only, and were never posted in public locations. Their content became known only after media reported them, citing sources close to the matter.

Terrorist attack threats may not have been credible

This message came after Sony caved in face of a 9/11-type of attack on cinemas that decided to play the movie on opening night.

In relation to the threat, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that according to its information, the imminent danger in the message had no credibility.

Even President Barack Obama addressed the US citizens on the matter, enforcing DHS’ statement and recommending people to go to the movies.

On Friday, the first official statement was made regarding the attribution of the attack on Sony. The FBI said that, during their investigation, evidence was found that led them to the conclusion that the incident was ordered by the government of North Korea.