Sony Pictures Entertainment (Essay Sample)

Sony Pictures Entertainment
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Sony Pictures Entertainment
Introduction
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a Sony Corporation of America subsidiary that produces movies, games, music, and television programs. The company experienced a significant cyber-attack in 2014 when a group named Guardians of Peace leaked confidential information. The attack was said to be motivated by the refusal of Sony to pull out the movie "The Interview," which was a comedy about a plot to execute Kim Jong-Un, the North Korean Leader. This essay will look into the threat Sony faced in this attack, the motives of the attackers, and the aspects of Sony's sector that made it vulnerable.
Threat and Motives
The threat Sony faced in the 2014 hack was a cyber-attack from a group called Guardians of Peace. The attack was said to be motivated by the refusal of Sony to pull out the movie "The Interview," which was a comedy about a plot to execute Kim Jong-Un, the North Korean Leader (Ponce et al., nd). The hackers leaked confidential information such as personal data about Sony Pictures employees, emails, the company's salaries, then-unreleased Sony film copies, plans for the company, and other confidential information (Alenezi et al., 2020). Later, Sony's computer systems were erased by the perpetrator. The attack was motivated by political pressure from North Korea, which wanted Sony to pull out of the movie (Alenezi et al., 2020).
Vulnerability
The primary cause of Sony’s vulnerability to the attack was its sector. Sony Pictures Entertainment is a part of the entertainment industry and therefore is a large target for hackers (Alenezi et al., 2020). The entertainment industry is a very lucrative and high-profile target, with hackers looking to gain access to valuable information or to cause financial or reputational damage to the company. Furthermore, Sony's sector is mainly dependent on digital technology, which makes it more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The hackers could access Sony's computer systems and steal sensitive information, which could have been used to gain leverage against the company.
Target
The 2014 attack against Sony primarily targeted data contained in Sony Pictures Entertainment. The hackers could access Sony's computer systems and steal sensitive information, including personal data about Sony Pictures employees, emails, information about the company's salaries, then-unreleased Sony film copies, plans for the company, and other confidential information. Furthermore, the hackers could erase Sony's computer systems, which would have caused significant disruption to the company (Ponce et al., nd).
Recommendation.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) should implement several changes to its cybersecurity leadership plan. Firstly, SPE should strengthen executive leadership by appointing a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to ensure that all cybersecurity strategies are aligned with the company’s overall business objectives. Secondly, SPE should also develop a comprehensive incident response plan that outlines processes and procedures for responding to cyber incidents (Alenezi et al., 2020). Additionally, SPE should create a training program to educate employees on the most current data security best practices. Finally, SPE should implement a risk assessment process that regularly evaluates the company's security posture and identifies any potential risks. By implementing these changes, SPE can improve its cybersecurity leadership plan and ensure that