Insomniac Hacking: Sony Faces Massive Ransom Demand for Game Files

Sony is still under the scrutiny of cybercriminals as a hacker group, self-identified as Rhysida, claims to have successfully breached the system of game developer Insomniac Games. Evidence of the hack includes various stolen files distributed online.

Among the 'display items' is noteworthy documentation about the game Wolverine, a title announced in 2021 with rumors of a 2025 release. Additionally, there are letters and internal exchange documents of the unit.

The hacker group has given Insomniac one week to decide whether to ransom the files. They have also prepared to auction the files in case the ransom negotiation fails. The starting price for the hacked files is 50 bitcoins, approximately equivalent to over 2 million USD.

Upon contact, Sony responded to press inquiries about the incident, stating: “We are aware of information about Insomniac Games allegedly falling victim to a cyberattack. Currently, we are conducting an investigation into the matter. There are currently no signs indicating that units such as SIE and others have been affected.”

Recently, Sony has been a consistent target of hackers stealing information. In September, a ransomware group claimed to have hacked all Sony units, but the evidence presented suggests that the data is quite old and minimal. In October, news surfaced about a hack occurring since July, with over 70,000 personal data records stolen from both current and former employees.