Sony’s Unprecedented Cyber Attack: Deep, Costly, Controversial

By Lucas Shaw | December 18, 2014

  • December 18, 2014 at 11:53 am
    GenXUnderwriter says:
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    This situation sits at the intersection of Censorship and Risk Management. While citizens of the US are given a right to freedom of speech, the majority of the world does not share this view. I don’t think we should give in to bullies, but we have to prepare for the consequences of saying something that may cause an adverse reaction. Sony obviously knew there was going to be severe protest and backlash to the subject matter of this film. If they were willing to undertake the risk of the project, they should have done more to prepare for the consequences to all the stakeholders concerned. Perhaps they should have let Dennis Rodman break the news of the film since he and Kim are pals. . .

    • December 18, 2014 at 2:04 pm
      Dave says:
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      Severe protest? From whom and where? You think North Koreans will come here to protest in front of our movie theaters? Then arrest them.

      • December 18, 2014 at 2:11 pm
        Celtica says:
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        Dave — protest is a form of free speech. If the North Korean was legal, had visa, etc., what would be the basis? Just curious.

        • December 18, 2014 at 5:17 pm
          Agent says:
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          Celtica, if anyone from North Korea wanted to come in, they should be sent back immediately. They are our arch enemies or have you been asleep for many years like Rip Van Winkle.

          • December 18, 2014 at 5:29 pm
            Celtica says:
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            Agent, I think you need to seriously consider stocking on tin foil hats to stop those warped thoughts from being transmitted into your brain from alien sources. Just saying.

  • December 18, 2014 at 1:15 pm
    Celtica says:
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    I think this movie sits at the corner of stupid and irresponsible and has nothing to do with censorship as Sony pulled their own movie.

    No problem with making a movie about killing a fictional head of state with deep overtones that it was North Korea. Actually making a movie about killing a very real head of state, no matter how despicable that person is, is wrong, wrong, wrong. Sony deserves everything they got on this one.

    • December 18, 2014 at 1:47 pm
      AttnyMackenroth says:
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      Hollywood does not fully appreciate how much it affects the world’s perception of who we are as Americans. For the most part, the media Hollywood creates is the only perception most people have about us around the world.

      So when Hollywood makes a “comedy” about knocking off the leader of an entire country, does this come as any surprise? What a stupid move for Sony to make on this one and I think they deserved it.

    • December 18, 2014 at 1:55 pm
      SWFL Agent says:
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      Celtica, you’re going to get quite a bit of thumbs down on this because, let’s face, we’re all about free speech in this country. Especially in the entertainment industry. But this type of free speech is unnecessary and any type of entertainment value that could be achieved with using a real dictator’s image could probably be accomplished with a fake one. He’s a nut case that’s unpredictable & dangerous. Not sure Sony got what they deserved but they certainly got what might have been expected.

      • December 18, 2014 at 2:07 pm
        Celtica says:
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        SWFL agent — I suspect you are quite correct on the thumbs down.

        As for free speech, our free speech does not extend to insisting business owners take the risk of any attract by showing the movie and absorbing the resulting losses (however, small the threat is).

        This is somewhat akin to Bill Maher’s famous remark on “Politically Incorrect” that the 9-11 terrorists were courageous. He can say whatever he wants under freedom of speech but that freedom does not extent to sponsors and the network absorbing the cost of those remarks. It just doesn’t.

        If you want complete freed of speech, you need to be personally liable for the resulting damage.

        Yeah, I know just another far left liberal viewpoint to be thumbed down.

        • December 18, 2014 at 2:21 pm
          Dumb Conservative says:
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          I am very confused. I don’t understand what is far left about your viewpoint. Allowing the free market to determine the financial viability of the movie instead of government regulation or organizational coercion seems to be more of a right-hand view of the situation to me.

      • December 18, 2014 at 2:11 pm
        Dave says:
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        Those on the left (like Celtica) are not big supporters of free speech so have no issue with this. Look at how they stop conservative speakers from speaking at universities.

        Watch how free speech is exercised at Columbia University.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuNXmy0e5fc

        • December 18, 2014 at 2:15 pm
          Celtica says:
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          Dave, I personally did not stop any conservative speakers from speaking at Columbia or any other university.

          In fact, I do not stop anyone from exercising their free speech. I opined that those who want to assert free speech be willing to be personally responsible for their remarks rather than shifting the results of their free speech to others.

          Just for the record.

          • December 18, 2014 at 2:54 pm
            Libby says:
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            Accepting personal responsibility? Sounds more light a right-wing mantra than a left to me, Dave.

          • December 18, 2014 at 5:20 pm
            Agent says:
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            Just for the record, Liberals only approve of free speech if it is their free speech and not Conservative Free Speech.

          • December 19, 2014 at 2:39 pm
            Libby says:
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            Yet here we are saying people need to take personal responsibility! It’s funny right-wingers only talk about personal responsibility when it comes to something they’re against, but they totally shun it when it doesn’t fit their agenda. I guess it goes along with the right-wing hypocrisy thing, as well.

          • December 22, 2014 at 6:54 am
            Dave says:
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            But you don’t decry actions like this which continuously stifle free speech.

          • December 22, 2014 at 11:08 am
            Libby says:
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            Actions like what???

        • December 18, 2014 at 5:24 pm
          Agent says:
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          Dave, if you or any other blogger wants to check out Property Casualty 360 today, there is a big article on Sony taking out a large Cyber policy for $60 million from Marsh. They have changed carriers several times. If this policy pays off, I guess they will have less in losses and then can put the movie on DVD and make another fortune.

    • December 19, 2014 at 1:54 pm
      FFA says:
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      All the publicity…. From a marketing view, great way to generate the “buzz”.

  • December 18, 2014 at 1:33 pm
    Mimi says:
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    I am in total agreement with Celtica. “Actually making a movie about killing a very real head of state, no matter how despicable that person is, is wrong, wrong, wrong. Sony deserves everything they got on this one”. However I do not agree with the hacking of any database of any company. Sony made a film for entertainment. I would say more for greed. I would not have went to see this type of movie and waste my time. This is not entertainment …. it is stupidity. For those that are going to use “freedom of blah, blah, blah.” There is a thing called common sense.

    • December 19, 2014 at 9:41 am
      Agent says:
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      Mimi, if you are in agreement with Celtica on anything, we know where you are coming from. We, on the right remember the left saying GW Bush should be shot, hung and other nasty things.

      • December 19, 2014 at 12:08 pm
        Rosenblatt says:
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        Mimi said it’s wrong to make a movie about killing a real head of state.

        You implied it’s bad to make those types of statements about an active head of state in real life.

        I believe you two are actually in agreement with each other here.

        Talking about killing an active head of state — either in real life or in a movie — is wrong. Do you agree with that statement, Agent & Mimi?

        • December 19, 2014 at 2:36 pm
          Libby says:
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          Rosenblatt – there you go again trying to be logical with Agent. Sigh.

          • December 19, 2014 at 3:18 pm
            Rosenblatt says:
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            Yup – I’m giving Agent multiple chances to answer simple yes/no questions to prove he is not a hypocritical troll.

            Figure if I ask him in multiple articles where he posted, he can’t argue that I only gave him one chance to respond and he just didn’t see a single post.

            After all, like he said to me: “Here is a hint for you….don’t abstain or vote present or parse words. Just answer one way or the other and you will fare much better.”

        • December 22, 2014 at 5:35 pm
          bob says:
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          Ok, I’m going to postulate that you Rosenblatt, are in fact the troll.

          You have numerous times only commented for the sake of pointing out who is a troll and who is not, while talking down to people. This is troll-like behavior. Talking pretty doesn’t make it better, as I once told you.

          Just something worth noting here:

          Your comment missed agent’s point, showing you are looking for trouble. He just told her that of course we on the right are very familiar with how absurd it is to publicly want the death of a figure head. It happened with Bush W.

          He is more or less telling her not that they disagree, but that liberals he has seen only agree on this point when convenient. They let it go when it is a republican figure head. I would say there is good reason to believe this. Newt Gingrich spoke in Seattle a few years back. One of my brother’s friends talked about the fact that someone should go in there and kill him. In Seattle, liberals do, for a fact, want the death of republicans. They would do so if they could, and they would celebrate if he was killed. They would literally crowd the streets and throw a parade.

          In this case though, and more on topic, this is agent telling Mimi that Celtica is likely one of those leftists. Seeing as Libby has herself made comments about wanting George W’s torture and or death, and Celtica was supportive of those comments, I would think Agent is correct on this.

          Also, decrying logic on a comment like that…Is not at all logical.

          These are not the items to be trying to show how much of a troll agent is regarding.

          • December 23, 2014 at 8:45 am
            Rosenblatt says:
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            Bob – With the exception of “troll” and “hypocrite”, I have never called Agent any names. He’s the only person who I have been “talking down to” and pointing out who is commenting like a troll. I’ve never called anyone else any names or talked down to anyone but him.

            I’m not trolling him – I am merely pointing out the numerous times he contradicts himself, makes inflammatory statements, how he posts items that are off-topic or how he hurls the first insult when responding.

            As for me misunderstanding Agent’s intent – that’s entirely possible. And if that’s the case, I’d be happy to hear him explain his point in more detail.

            And hopefully he can explain what he meant when he wrote “Mimi, if you are in agreement with Celtica on anything, we know where you are coming from.” To me, that comes across as a negative comment and an insult to both Mimi & Celtica. I’m willing to listen to Agent explain his intent if he thinks I’m wrong.

          • December 24, 2014 at 10:25 am
            Libby says:
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            Bob – to set the record straight ONE MORE TIME. I never called for Dubya’s torture or death. I said he should be tried for treason. And I believe that.

            It just so happens, if found guilty (which I believe he is) the punishment is death. That is not the same thing as calling for his death. It is calling for justice. Period.

            Please do not misquote me again on this subject.

  • December 18, 2014 at 4:14 pm
    moviebuff says:
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    How about if we put the movie on youtube and play it over and over? Worldwide access….double up security at the Embassy’s and let them have REAL guns this time…

  • December 18, 2014 at 4:50 pm
    Karmalover says:
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    Agree with Libby. Left wing-dingers are definitely not fans of accepting personal responsibility. That would be, well, Responsible! Personal responsibility would be a right wing concept most definitely.

  • December 18, 2014 at 5:25 pm
    Celtica says:
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    Yo, Agent, got a link for that record?

  • December 19, 2014 at 11:01 am
    Louie says:
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    In all honesty, how many of us actually planned on seeing “The Interview” anyway? It looked really bad and most of Rogen and Franco’s movies have stunk lately. Yes, I realize that’s not the point, but if you’re looking for a laugh at North Korea’s expense, go rent “Team America” instead.

    it’s sad that a little sh*tpot over in North Korea can dictate which movies we can and can’t see over here, when he can’t even feed his own country. Conditions in North Korea are absolutely horrific; I strongly recommend reading “Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remakrable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom” if you would like to get an idea of what life is like over there. It’s an unbelievable story.

    • December 19, 2014 at 2:38 pm
      Libby says:
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      I’m rone-ree. So rone-ree.

    • December 22, 2014 at 5:39 pm
      bob says:
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      Spot on. I wouldn’t want to see it.

      Though worth noting is that Sony is trying to release this through a non theater media form now. If you do a quick google search they want the publicity at this point. That’s not a bad thing, but I’m just throwing it out there. They couldn’t have asked for a better publicity event to occur when releasing a comedy about foreign leaders and extremity (from both North Korea, and clearly satirically the United States) than for Obama to make a public comment, and for North Korea to threaten us, and then for North Korea to say they didn’t threaten us and demand we investigate who did…OR ELSE (threat?).

      This is almost funnier than the movie could have possibly been.

      Really. Anyone who appreciates Irony could not possibly be missing how hilarious this is.

  • December 19, 2014 at 2:59 pm
    Don't Call Me Shirley says:
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    I’m looking forward to the corresponding South Park episode – you know they’ll do it!

  • December 19, 2014 at 4:01 pm
    Shagster12 says:
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    Ok so we can talk about the ‘ethics’ of making this movie and never reach any kind of agreement. What I am more concerned with is the bigger picture here. That our once great ‘take no bull’ country has now folded like a wet napkin to a terrorist threat. Look back 10 years ago and more and there is not one single President, Administration that would have ever buckled to that kind of ‘pressure’… My fear is once we start giving in, we are lost….. Are we really going to abide this?

    • December 22, 2014 at 11:15 am
      Libby says:
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      Excuse me? Our current President didn’t buckle. This is what he said:

      “I think they made a mistake,” the president said of Sony’s decision to stop distribution of the movie. “We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship here in the United States.”

  • December 22, 2014 at 2:26 pm
    FFA says:
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    Sony did what is in the best interest of Sony. They release this and something happens, litigation will bury them from the resulting injuries / deaths.

    Obama with his saying that they should have talked to him…. Its not his place to set their personal (corporate) risk tolerance. That’s for Sony to determine and only Sony to determine.

    It would not surprise me to know that Sony did this (made a movie and then pulled the plug) for Publicity sake. When it does make its way to DVD, everyone is going to want to see it just to know whats the fuss all about.

  • December 22, 2014 at 2:41 pm
    Crain says:
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    Is there any chance that the insurance carrier for SONY influenced this decision? If they had a terrorism exclusion, SONY would have run uncovered on this release. If that was fiscally more risky than releasing the movie, they had little choice.



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