Vince Bucci/Getty Images Sony CEO Michael Lynton and co-chairman Amy Pascal confirm the authenticity of leaked private information and call the attack "malicious" in company-wide memo.
On Tuesday, a spreadsheet revealing Sony's highest-paid executive salaries was made public in the latest of a series of cyber attacks against the film studio. In addition, the personal data and Social Security Numbers of 3,803 employees have been disclosed online, five unreleased films have been released online, and a cyberattack knocked out the studio's computer network.
After saying "no comment" thus far and instead letting the FBI deal with it, Sony CEO Michael Lynton and co-chairman Amy Pascal - whose $3 million salaries were revealed in yesterday's attack - are finally speaking out.
In a company memo sent late Tuesday, the two honchos called the situation "a brazen attack on our company, our employees and our business partners, adding that "the release of employee and other information are malicious criminal acts, and we are working closely with law enforcement."
The memo also explained that "we are offering all employees identity protection services with a third-party service provider" for staffers concerned about their private info being released online.
The personal info made public includes employees' names, job titles, home addresses, bonus plans, and salaries.
The studio was initially hacked last week by a group calling itself "Guardians of Peace," ironically a month before the studio is set to release the Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy "The Interview," about two journalists recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The Pyongyang government denounced the film as "undisguised sponsoring of terrorism, as well as an act of war" in a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in June.
TheWrap previously reported the hackers threatened to release private information from the studio if their demands were not met, but those demands were never made clear. They also did not specify a deadline and had not released information before now.
Read the full memo to Sony staffers below:
It is now apparent that a large amount of confidential Sony Pictures Entertainment data has been stolen by the cyber attackers, including personnel information and business documents. This is the result of a brazen attack on our company, our employees and our business partners. This theft of Sony materials and the release of employee and other information are malicious criminal acts, and we are working closely with law enforcement.
The privacy and security of our employees are of real concern to us, and we are deeply saddened at this concerted effort to do damage to our company, undermine our morale, and discourage us. We are enormously proud of the resilience you have all shown in the face of this attack. The company is as busy as ever, and our business continues to move forward, thanks to your great efforts.
While we are not yet sure of the full scope of information that the attackers have or might release, we unfortunately have to ask you to assume that information about you in the possession of the company might be in their possession. While we would hope that common decency might prevent disclosure, we of course cannot assume that.
Yesterday, we told you that we are offering all employees identity protection services with a third-party service provider, All Clear ID, and that you would receive an email tomorrow outlining steps to sign up. If you sign up, the AllClear ID investigators would be available to answer your questions about how to handle disclosures of your confidential information.
We can't overemphasize our appreciation to all of you for your extraordinary hard work, commitment and resolve.