Andrea Mandell, and Elizabeth Weise

USA Today

CULVER CITY, Calif. — Sony staffers received a new email from hackers Friday, this time threatening their families, from the group that calls itself the Guardians of Peace or the "GOP."

At the same time, someone purporting to be the GOP released another, massive, file dump on Friday, posting them on a sharing site called Pastebin.

"It's over 100 gigabytes," said Daniel Tentler, with the security firm Carbon Dynamics. He is dissecting the file.

The posting was titled "Gift of GOP for 3rd day: Financial data of Sony Pictures."

The file was compressed and it wasn't immediately clear what it contained. However, whoever posted it claimed it included "many pieces of confidential data" in the accompanying message.

The message also read, "Anyone who loves peace can be our member. Please tell your mind at the email address below if you share our intention." The email directed readers to a site that gives users anonymous, disposable email addresses.

In a final line,which could mean that Sony will have its private data dripped slowly out into public arena, the message read, "The data to be released next week will excite you more."

These two secondary assaults come after Sony has spent all week shifting email to new servers, instructing staffers to change passwords, and turning back the clock to old-school time-punch cards in order to process employees' payment.

All of these efforts were made by Sony to thwart another attack by the GOP (easily confused with the political party). But an email – somewhat garbled in style – that landed in many staffers inboxes on Friday proved Sony's scramble is so far insufficient.

The email included a warning to all Sony employees who did not assist the GOP that their families could land in harm's way, according to a person unauthorized to speak publicly about the situation. Sony employees have been instructed to turn off mobile and tablet devices.

"We understand that some of our employees have received an email claiming to be from GOP," Robert Lawson, a spokesperson for Sony, told USA TODAY. "We are aware of the situation and are working with law enforcement."

The FBI said they were also aware of the GOP's latest threat."The FBI is aware of threatening emails that have been received by some employees at Sony Pictures Entertainment," said FBI press officer Joshua Campbell in a statement. "We continue to investigate this matter in order to identify the person or group responsible for the recent attack on the Sony Pictures network."

Sony has had computer security teams working round the clock to rescue what they can from the company's crippled servers since the initial attack was discovered on Nov. 24.

At the time, company officials had all staffers stay off of email and avoid the company's internal WiFi network, to maintain security while they tried to rebuild. Some have suggested that the attack is in retaliation for a forthcoming comedy produced by Sony called The Interview. North Korea has denied any involvement.

A new round of emails threatening staff could signal that the attackers didn't simply commit one of the largest hit-and-run cyber attacks on a U.S. company, but intend to continue toying with the firm as it struggles to get back on its feet.

Read the email in full, per Variety(emphasis added).

I am the head of GOP who made you worry.

Removing Sony Pictures on earth is a very tiny work for our group which is a worldwide organization. And what we have done so far is only a small part of our further plan.It's your false if you if you think this crisis will be over after some time. All hope will leave you and Sony Pictures will collapse. This situation is only due to Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures is responsible for whatever the result is. Sony Pictues clings to what is good to nobody from the beginning. It's silly to expect in Sony Pictures to take off us. Sony Pictures makes only useless efforts. One beside you can be our member.

Many things beyond imagination will happen at many places of the world. Our agents find themselves act in necessary places. Please sign your name to object the false of the company at the email address below if you don't want to suffer damage. If you don't, not only you but your family will be in danger.

Nobody can prevent us, but the only way is to follow our demand. If you want to prevent us, make your company behave wisely.

Contributing: Kevin Johnson