Hackers offer to spare some Sony employees from stolen data leaks

Image: Nick Ut/Associated Press

The hacker group that calls itself GOP or 'Guardians of Peace' doesn't seem to have any plans to stop dumping information pilfered from its hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment to the press. But now they might be offering some Sony employees a way out if they contact the hackers.

In the latest data dump that was sent to reporters, which happened on Sunday, the hackers included what appears to be a merciful message to Sony employees.

'We have a plan to release emails and privacy of the Sony Pictures employees,' the message reads. 'If you don't want your privacy to be released, tell us your name and business title to take off your data.'

That's about as conciliatory as the hackers' message gets, however. In the past few weeks, the hacking collective has leaked controversial email correspondence between Sony executives, as well as financial documents and the personal information of celebrities.

'The sooner SPE accept our demands, the better, of course,' the post reads. 'The farther time goes by, the worse state SPE will be put into and we will have Sony go bankrupt in the end.'

The Guardians of the Peace's demands remain unclear. It's been widely speculated that the hackers want Sony to pull the release of The Interview, a comedy that dramatizes an assassination attempt of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. There hasn't been a ton of evidence to support a North Korean link, however.

The hackers continue to threaten to release more stolen data, this time as a 'Christmas gift.'

'We are preparing for you a Christmas gift,' the latest message reads. 'The gift will be larger quantities of data. And it will be more interesting. The gift will surely give you much more pleasure and put Sony Pictures into the worst state.'

The post then provides a list of emails to contact for those want in on the 'gift.'

For its part, Sony has demanded that the media stop publishing information about its stolen data. Many publications, including Mashable, have published private conversations and information about the company from the leaks.

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