Sony Pictures hack: Top films including Annie and Fury leaked, as Sony probes North Korea link

Company has taken on new security consultants to clean up the attack that has seen the leak of films including ‘Fury’

The photo, which Reddit users said had been posted across Sony Pictures computers (Links have been blurred out)

The Sony Pictures hack that has left the company’s computer systems entirely broken led to the leaking of a number of the company’s biggest films over the weekend, and the company is looking into North Korean involvement in the breach.

Sony has hired Mandiant, a forensic cybersecurity consulting firm, to clean up the attack, Reuters has reported. The FBI is also investigating the attack.

The Sony Pictures hack began last week, when hackers took over all of Sony Pictures’ computer systems and posted a series of demands to the PCs. The systems have been crippled ever since, with sensitive documents related to stars including Angelina Jolie and Cameron Diaz said to be at risk.

Five films have been liked online following the hacking — including Brad Pitt’s ‘Fury’ and the new version of Annie. Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner, which has been released in the UK but is not yet out in the US, Still Alice and To Write Love On Her Arms were also leaked.

'Fury', which has been released in cinemas but not yet on DVD, rocketed up torrent charts after it was downloaded nearly a million times. It was the fifth most-downloaded film on BitTorrent last week.

Sony is thought to be investigating the possibility of North Korean involvement in the hack, related to its upcoming release of the Interview, which depicts a CIA plot to assassinate Kim Jong-Un, Re/Code reported. State propaganda outlets promised ‘merciless retaliation’ for the film, but there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the country was involved.

Technicians are making headway with the systems and expect email to be restored today, a source told Reuters.