Hackers sent Sony extortion email before security breach

Hackers sent Sony extortion email before security breach
(Image credit: iStock)

The hackers behind a major attack against Sony last month reportedly emailed the company beforehand asking for money, Mashable reports.

"Pay the damage, or Sony Pictures will be bombarded as a whole," the Nov. 21 email read. "You know us very well. We never wait long."

In the Nov. 24 security breach, hackers stole terabytes of data, including several films and private employee information.

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It's rumored North Korea is behind the attack, since an upcoming Sony Pictures comedy, The Interview, is about a Kim Jong Un assassination attempt. North Korea denied involvement Sunday, TIME reports. But they did call it "righteous."

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.