For the past several days Sony has watched helplessly as more and more of its confidential data has been made available to the public by various media outlets. The leak has so far included a huge cache of employee e-mails, movie scripts, business contracts, employee salaries and even several unreleased Sony Pictures films.

The story has received wide coverage probably due to a combination of the cyber-security implications of such a large-scale hack (a topic especially hot after the Edward Snowden leaks and sporadic shut-downs of government websites by prolific hackers Anonymous) and the sensationalist, gossip-heavy content found in the emails between Sony executives.

On Sunday, attempting to prevent any further embarrassment, Sony asked major media outlets to stop releasing their private information, which they have also requested be deleted. The Japanese multi-national did so through Sony attorney David Boies, who wrote a letter to various media outlets. The attorney’s letter has been viewed by some in the media as an implied threat of legal action.

Whether that is true or not, the letter does make clear that Sony actively disapproves of the continued reporting on the contents of the leak, going as far as to cite the very possession of the leaked data by news outlets as unacceptable. By labeling it “stolen information” Sony is taking a firm stance against the media’s right to mine the company’s deepest secrets for the sake of a story.

However, First Amendment expert and UCLA Law Professor, Eugene Volokh, basically denies that Sony has any right to make such demands, citing the protection in place for the media to publish such documents, even if leaked or hacked. Thus, even if Sony does decide to take a further step towards legal action, there is not much they can do to stop the flow of secrets. This could mean further damage to Sony’s prestige and brand, and perhaps worse, further decreases in company profits.

Much of the information revealed by the hackers is damaging to the company? First of all, the security breach itself points to obvious weaknesses in its cyber-defenses, and a basic inability to protect its employees’ information. It is this specific problem that has apparently caused an uproar within the company’s ranks and could prompt many to jump ship. The mistrust that is a direct result of a company’s failure to protect its people is enough to cause major doubt about Sony’s future.

Add to that the cringe-worthy revelations found in executive emails – for example, co-chair Amy Pascal’s leaked emails include her calling actor Kevin Hart a “whore,” and accusing Leonardo DiCaprio of “despicable” and horrific behavior. Scott Rudin, another Sony executive, does not hide his disdain for actress Angelina Jolie or his doubt that she is talented, claiming she has a “rampaging spoiled ego,” and referring to her as insane. Despite being given the opportunity to pirate several Sony pictures which were leaked and spread onto the internet, Sony has inadvertently alienated its consumers through  revelations of massive employee salaries and even more massive expense accounts for executives.

All that is known so far about the perpetrators of the Sony hack is that a group calling itself “The Guardians of Peace” have claimed responsibility. There was widespread speculation that the hack was a direct consequence of North Korea’s wrath over the plot of The Interview, an upcoming Sony film starring James Franco and Seth Rogen that centers around a plot to kill that country’s actual leader, Kim Jong-Un, a reportedly brutal dictator. However, there have been some reports that a more likely scenario is the leak is the work of a disgruntled former employee bent on getting revenge on Sony for personal reasons.

Whoever it was that breached Sony’s cyber-security systems stole mass amounts of the company’s most guarded secrets, and pointedly released such material to the public did so with flawless planning and high-level organization that is uniquely advanced for such a precisely targeted attack.

And it is not over. On Dec. 13 h the responsible hackers promised a Christmas present that would worsen Sony’s already dire situation. As unimaginable as this getting worse for Sony truly is, it is certain Sony will have to find another way to cope with the leak because asking the media to stop reporting on a story that continues to compel the public’s attention is akin to, say, asking the American public to stop shopping for Christmas gifts. Simply unthinkable.