Life in Westeros is filled with dangers — rival houses, deadly diseases, armies of undead — but fans of Game of Thrones now have their own enemies to watch out for: leaks and spoilers. The internet already swarms with spoilers, but a recent cyber-attack against HBO has resulted in episodes and scripts for several of the network’s TV series being leaked online, and could likely turn your social media feed into a veritable minefield for the next few weeks.
The massive hack was first reported by Entertainment Weekly. The culprits obtained 1.5 terabytes of data, which includes upcoming episodes from Ballers and Room 104 and the script for next week’s episode of Game of Thrones, all of which have been leaked online. According to the anonymous hackers, more stolen content will be “coming soon.”
In an official statement regarding the hack, HBO confirmed that it “recently experienced a cyber incident, which resulted in the compromise of proprietary information. We immediately began investigating the incident and are working with law enforcement and outside cybersecurity firms. Data protection is a top priority at HBO, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect the data we hold.” Despite these efforts, it remains unknown who carried out the leak.
Hacking and leaking have become facts of internet life in recent years, with other major media companies like Sony having upcoming projects and internal production details leaked by hackers. Companies like Yahoo, Dropbox, and Verizon have also seen user data compromised due to cyber sleuths. Even smartphones and smart TVs are at risk these days.
The hack is certainly a serious blow for HBO and the cast and crew of the affected shows, but the leaks will also affect fans. If you’ve been seeking to avoid spoilers, take extra heed this week as details of the leaked episodes and scripts may spread beyond spoiler threads and into social media. It’s also a strong possibility, given the extent of the stolen data and the threats of the hackers, that even more content from the current seasons of Game of Thrones, Ballers, Room 104, and possibly other shows will hit the internet. Stay vigilant, friends.
