Opinion Horror movie

If the US government is to believed, North Korea has deployed a poison keyboard to express its displeasure at a movie that dared to consider the entirely fictional assassination of “Dear Leader”, or Kim Jong-un. Nearly a month ago, a group of adept cybercriminals infiltrated Sony’s computer systems, stealing and then releasing a trove of sensitive information relating to upcoming movies, emails and employee details in retaliation for producing a film called The Interview, about a CIA plot to kill Kim. It warned of a “Christmas surprise” if Sony didn’t cancel the film’s release, and threatened theatres. After allowing theatres to pull the movie for fear of violence against staff and customers, Sony has now taken it off the slate.

Before Sony’s capitulation, the US press was diverted by the leaked emails, which, ironically, included exchanges between Sony executives discussing if Kim may “launch missles [sic] to our [South Korean] office if we release it?” The emails revealed a Hollywood that bears close resemblance to the Hollywood of our imagination in its slightly sleazy and bottom line-obsessed operations, but the damage to relationships will no doubt cost Sony — to the tune of an estimated $75 million. Yet, the major takeaway from this attack is not a behind-the-scenes look at the functioning of a major Hollywood studio, but that it marks a new chapter of cybercrime.

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Even as the hack itself should alarm corporations into investing in better cybersecurity, Sony’s submission to political pressure must also be seen as a matter of concern. Sony cannot be expected to take on a nation state and a shadowy hacker army by itself. That’s why the US government should work with Sony, and corporations like it, to help prevent, trace and repel such attacks in future. Because sequels are all but guaranteed.