FBI joins investigation of massive HBO cyberattack

HBO’s original titles. Screen Grab from Facebook/HBO

Looks like HBO’s reported cyberleak may be bigger than anticipated, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is now involved in the case.

The massive 1.5 terabytes worth of stolen data include material from the HBO’s hit shows “Ballers,” “Room 104” and “Game of Thrones”—with the latter’s script and latest episode leaked online ahead of its premiere on Sunday (Monday in Manila).

READ: HBO’s recent online leak includes ‘Game of Thrones’ content—report

With a cyberattack of this magnitude, former Secret Service agent and cybersecurity expert Erik Rasmussen told The Hollywood Reporter that more illegal contents are expected to come out in the coming weeks.

“At 1.5 terabytes, it could be a whole block of TV, or worse, it could be emails, financial documents, employee or customer information,” he said. “The fact that you have law enforcement and a [cybersecurity] firm involved most likely means this will be a very large incident for HBO.”

In an earlier report by Variety, the hackers also threatened to release more of the information they stole “gradually,” with another dump expected to come out the same time as HBO’s scheduled airing.

Meanwhile, Sony Pictures also experienced a similar hack in 2014, where 200 GB of sensitive data was exposed, resulting in the ouster of co-chair Amy Pascal.  Khristian Ibarrola /ra