US prosecutors have charged an Iranian national with hacking into the HBO cable TV network and stealing episodes and plot summaries for unaired programs including Game of Thrones, then threatening to release the data unless he was paid $6m. Behzad Mesri, also known as Skote Vahshat, was charged with the hack in a sealed indictment that was released on Tuesday by the US attorney’s office in Manhattan. A spokesman with the US attorney’s office said Mesri had not been arrested, and declined to comment on the suspect’s whereabouts. The indictment charges Mesri with hacking into HBO from May to August and stealing unaired episodes of programs including Ballers, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Deuce. Mesri also stole scripts and plot summaries for Game of Thrones, according to the indictment.

Source: The Guardian November 21, 2017 18:22 UTC