Digitization has left its mark across many industries globally, and the film and media industries are no exception. Having benefited so many stakeholders with its growing influence, the media industry is a hot commodity in all countries. This makes it a soft target for cyber hackers. Content creation and distribution have become more autonomous with the onset of OTT platforms, and cyber-security has become a significant concern like it has in many other industries.However, data theft of users and staff is not the only threat that the media and film industry faces on account of cyber-attacks. One of the biggest problems is the safety of the productions, especially in cases where the content has not been released. For example, Netflix users became victims of email fraud, after which the cybercriminals stole their users' credit card information.FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRY CYBER ATTACKS IN THE NEWSIn recent years, media companies being attacked by cybercriminals have been much in the news. Here are two major highlights that made waves all over the world:

1. Netflix hacking: As mentioned above, user accounts were compromised for bankcard information theft. Netflix had to deal with the theft of its original shows, such as “Orange Is the New Black.” The show faced a malicious cyberattack when ten unaired episodes were leaked online, subsequently leading to a ransomware attack.
2. HBO hack: Like Netflix, HBO has been a victim of cyberattacks more than once. Reportedly, hackers got away with 1.5 terabytes of data, including scripts. In another incident, an unreleased episode of the popular sensation “Game of Thrones” was available on illegal websites.

PRIMARY CYBERSECURITY CONCERNS IN THE FILM AND MEDIA INDUSTRY

1. Underestimation and ignorance of cyber threats: In any cybersecurity violation, vulnerability to cyber threats is found to begin with underestimating the impact cyber-attacks can have on business. While it may be an old-time and traditional point of view, there is a tendency to isolate cybersecurity as a concern specific to banks, financial institutions, tech and software companies, etc. This leads to insufficient importance being placed on educational and awareness programmes.

Unfortunately, as a direct consequence of such ignorance, large film and media organizations don’t invest adequately in bolstering their cyber defences.

2. Use of amateur video-editing software: Not all kind of video-editing software is safe and reliable. This is important to focus on because unsecure software can be easily broken in with different codes and malware by hackers. The use of unlicensed software is a major problem. The software which is not downloaded from their official website will always carry the risk of being vulnerable.
3. No limitations on user access: In the whole process of film-making and other sub-processes part of the media industry, it takes an army of people to create any content. There are sound editors, engineers and many others, and it is, therefore, difficult to keep a check on the security systems of all these external stakeholders. This implies that even if the company’s servers are well-protected, there’s no guarantee that the hackers won’t find a weak link in the network of systems involved in the process. This is one of the reasons why production houses need to start placing more importance on the cybersecurity of their external partners.
4. Increased dependence on digital tools: The more the reliance on software, the greater the risk of that software getting compromised by cybercriminals. Tapes and film have been replaced by cloud storage and digital cameras. While the progress in this direction can be interpreted as favourable, the use of cloud servers, video editing software, and other digital tools in movie production and post-production create extremely opportune loopholes for cybercriminals to cash in. It is also becoming increasingly important for production houses and media companies to deploy an infallible cybersecurity infrastructure with sound policies and procedures.

Hiring cybersecurity professionals and experts is the first step to be taken without delay in the media and film industry. In addition, there is an urgent need to find ways of educating people about the necessity of cybersecurity measures and the kind of cyber-attacks that hackers have been performing across industries.About SNSSecurity Network Solutions (SNS) provides a quantifiable, risk-based approach to building a global structure of cybersecurity infrastructure based on internationally recognized frameworks and practices. We have been providing services and catering to clients across industries for the last 22 years. Write to us at [email protected] or visit us at www.snsin.com