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Sony Hit With Fourth Class-Action Lawsuit Following Cyberattack

Studio’s former IT employees claim studio failed to adequately prepare for ”Interview“-related hacks

| December 19, 2014 @ 1:43 PM

Sony Pictures Entertainment legal was hit with a fourth class-action lawsuit related to November hacks and attacks carried out against the studio for making the “The Interview,” Seth Rogen and James Franco‘s satirical assassination comedy.

The lawsuit was filed by two former IT employees at the studio on Thursday at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. The plaintiffs, Michael Levine and Lionel Felix, claim Sony didn’t take adequate precautions to defend itself against a cyber-attack.

Also Read: Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to ‘The Interview’ Dropped (Photos)

The filing claims the company should’ve been more prepared for an attack, especially considering their networks were previously breached during the 2011 hack of the Sony Playstation.

“Defendant has failed to take reasonable steps to secure the data of its employees from hacking and other collateral attacks despite its having a duty to safeguard its employees’ data,” the filing read. “Only three years ago, Defendant incurred one of the largest data breaches in history, in which 77 million customer records were compromised.”

“In the wake of that data breach, Defendant conceded that a ‘known vulnerability’ was exploited, and subsequent analysis from the information technology community confirmed that Defendant had failed to put into place even the most rudimentary security protocols,” the filing continued.

Also Read: President Obama Telling Sony it ‘Made a Mistake’ Draws Mixed Social Media Reaction

The plaintiffs are suing Sony on grounds of negligence, invasion of privacy, bailment and violations of multiple California laws which require a corporation to protect the private medical information of its employees and notify them of data breaches in a timely fashion.

They’re seeking “an award of appropriate relief, including actual damages, restitution, disgorgement, and statutory damages.”

Sony has not yet responded to TheWrap‘s request for comment.

Also Read: DGA Stands by ‘The Interview’ Directors: Hopes ‘Way Can Be Found to Distribute the Film’

As TheWrap has previously reported, the company has been hit with several class-action lawsuits stemming from the Nov. 24 attack and vicious threats.

Sony canceled the Christmas Day release of “The Interview” in wake of those threats, one of which promised a “9/11” style attack should the movie comedy hit theaters. On Friday the Federal Bureau of Investigations and President Barack Obama revealed North Korea was in fact responsible for the hacks, data dumps and vicious threats. But the President criticized the studio’s decision to shelf the controversial film.

“Sony’s a corporation, it suffered significant damage, there were threats against its employees. I am sympathetic to the concerns that they faced,” Obama said at a White House Press Briefing. “Having said all that, yes, I think they made a mistake.”

Also Read: George R.R. Martin Slams Sony’s ‘Corporate Cowardice,’ Offers to Screen ‘The Interview’ at His Own Theater

Sony Pictures Entertainment’s CEO Michael Lynton has since spoken out on his company’s behalf: “We have not caved, we have not given in, we have persevered, and we have not backed down. We have always had every desire to have the American public see this movie.”

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

Sony Hack Attack Timeline: From First Cyberbreach and Leaks to 'The Interview' Release (Photos)

  • Michael Lynton The Grill
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  • Sony Pictures
  • Sony
  • James Franco, Seth Rogen, "The Interview"
  • James Franco, Seth Rogen
  • Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton
  • Sony Chiefs Amy Pascal, Michael Lynton 'Deeply Saddened' Over Hacking Attack
  • Sony Pictures
  • Sony's logo on a wall
  • "hacked by #GOP" message found on Sony computers
  • Sony's logo on a wall
  • Sony Chiefs Amy Pascal, Michael Lynton 'Deeply Saddened' Over Hacking Attack
  • Tom Hanks
  • Amy Pascal, Steve Mosko of Sony
  • Sony's logo on a wall
  • Sony Marketing Layoffs
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  • Movie posters for the premiere of the film 'The Interview' at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, California on December 11, 2014. The film, starring US actors Seth Rogen and James Franco, is a comedy about a CIA plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-Un, played by Randall Park. North Korea has vowed 'merciless retaliation' against what it calls a 'wanton act of terror' -- although it has denied involvement in a massive cyber attack on Sony Pictures, the studio behind the film. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
  • The Throwaways
  • Skyfall Daniel Craig James Bond 25
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  • ArcLight Cinemas
  • Sony Chiefs Amy Pascal, Michael Lynton 'Deeply Saddened' Over Hacking Attack
  • Sony's logo on a wall
  • The Interview movie poster, Sony logo, President Obama
  • the interview hollywood tweets
  • Team America World Police
  • The Interview movie poster, Sony logo, President Obama
  • Mike Myers as Dr. Evil on "The Interview."
  • reince priebus chief of staff donald trump health care bill punt end zone football twitter
  • Sony attorney David Boies
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As Sony CEO Michael Lynton prepares to exit, here’s TheWrap’s blow-by-blow of 2014’s devastating cyberattack on the studio

As Sony CEO Michael Lynton announces his resignation, let's look back at one of the darkest periods of his tenure: the Sony hack. 

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