Sony Data Breach: Over 100 Documents With Thousands Of Passwords Exposed

The massive Sony data breach that made headlines earlier this year has apparently gotten even worse.

New reports confirm that the hackers behind that major corporate hack have struck again. This time around, the group released an abundance of documents filled with confidential information and secured data.

A core element of the new batch of leaked data is a file directory identified by the simple title, “Password.” The directory consists of approximately 139 Microsoft Word documents and Excel spreadsheets as well as PDFs and zip files that are loaded with thousands of passwords.

BuzzFeed reports that an abundance of internal computers, web service accounts, and social media accounts from Sony Pictures have been compromised because of Wednesday’s leak.

The majority of the files are not even discreetly named, especially since many of them are simply titled with labels such as “YouTube login passwords.xlsx” and “password list.xls.”

BuzzFeed was able to find hundreds of clearly identified MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter passwords as well as usernames that are associated with major motion picture accounts all stored within a single file.

For example, some of the passwords discovered within the leaked documents are linked to such popular films as Easy A, The Social Network, and Ghostbusters. After analyzing the overall condition and layout of the passwords, BuzzFeed reportedly concluded that the passwords were poorly structured and not even alphanumerical.

The leaked documents also include log-in information for servers, collaboration services, and multiple corporate research and news services — including Bloomberg and Lexis/Nexis. The subscriptions alone accumulate tens of thousands of dollars on a monthly basis.

One individual’s passwords for numerous, high-valued data serviced were also included — especially since they were not very strong in nature either.

Some reports claim that the hackers responsible for this massive Sony data breach are connected somehow to the North Korean government. The files can be downloaded online through torrent files, which means that this vast collection of confidential information can easily be accessed by almost any cyber criminal.

Even though this may seem like a very large breach, it is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the confidential data that still has not been leaked yet.

BuzzFeed reports that this second leak (in addition to the first) represent a relatively small fraction of an estimated 100 terabytes of data that have reportedly been taken from Sony.

If that report is true, that means that there very well could be many more documents, passwords, and log-in information from Sony Pictures being leaked to the public in the future.

[Image Credit: Variety]