A hacker is attempting to ransom stolen episodes of Orange Is The New Black back to Netflix
Deadline reports that a hacker—operating under the on-the-nose online pseudonym “The Dark Lord” (or possibly the even dorkier “The Dark Overlord,” sources vary)—is threatening to release leaked episodes of Orange Is The New Black unless Netflix meets their financial demands. The show’s fifth season was scheduled to go live on June 5, but cybercriminals reportedly stole copies of the episodes from a ”small production vendor” that works with several major TV studios, several months ago. (The thefts are apparently being treated as an “active situation” by the FBI.) The pilot for the new season is already supposed circulating on illegal file sharing sites.
The hackers reportedly sent a good-old-fashioned ransom note to Netflix, insisting that the rest of the season would be leaked if their “modest” monetary demands weren’t met. (According to The Hollywood Reporter, these are to be paid out in digital currencies, because of course they are.)