Independent media needs you. Join the Tyee.

The Hook: Political news, freshly caught

ID protection offered to BC film workers in wake of Sony hack

Hollywood executives and movie stars may not be the only victims of the suspected North Korean cyberattack against the makers of now-shelved The Interview.

The Christmas Day release of the British Columbia-lensed comedy about a plot to kill dictator Kim Jong-Un was scrubbed Dec. 17 over a threatened terrorist attack.

Sony Pictures Entertainment and the union that represents film workers in British Columbia, IATSE, issued a cyber-security warning and offered free identity protection services.

Said a Dec. 17 notice to workers on Sony projects: "SPE has made arrangements with a third-party service provider, AIIClear ID, to offer 12 months of identity protection services at no charge to potentially impacted current and former production employees of SPE or an SPE-affiliated company. IATSE members should contact AIIClear ID directly to initiate the enrollment process and/or learn more about their services."

IATSE Local 891 contacted members who specifically worked on The Interview between August 2013 and February 2014.

Sony was hacked on Nov. 24 by a group calling itself Guardians of Peace. It learned Dec. 1 that personal information of current and former employees may have been accessed illegally.

The memo said Sony is investigating the scope of the cyber attack, but it believes hackers may have obtained names, addresses, social insurance numbers, drivers license numbers, passport numbers, bank account and credit card information, usernames and passwords, compensation and health/medical information provided to Sony.

"To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, SPE encourages you to remain vigilant, review your account statements, monitor your credit reports to the extent available and change your passwords," said a Sony memo.

Vancouver journalist Bob Mackin is a frequent contributor to The Tyee.

Find more in:

What have we missed? What do you think? We want to know. Comment below. Keep in mind:

Do:

  • Verify facts, debunk rumours
  • Add context and background
  • Spot typos and logical fallacies
  • Highlight reporting blind spots
  • Ignore trolls
  • Treat all with respect and curiosity
  • Connect with each other

Do not:

  • Use sexist, classist, racist or homophobic language
  • Libel or defame
  • Bully or troll
  • Troll patrol. Instead, flag suspect activity.
comments powered by Disqus