Hackers steal Michael Jackson files from Sony

Japanese electronics and media giant Sony is facing serious questions over the robustness of its security after hackers managed to access its data banks and beat it with the entire back catalogue of Michael Jackson's musical career.

More than 50,000 tracks, many of which were unreleased, were taken by the smooth criminals - a haul which cost Sony more than $250 million (approx £157 million) to acquire.

According to the Guardian, James Marks, 26, from Daventry in Northamptonshire, and James McCormick, 25, from Blackpool, have been arrested for the breach and appeared in front of Leicester Crown Court last Friday – putting paid to the suggestion that the perpetrator may well have been a stranger in Moscow.

The pair have since been released on bail after denying the charges.

Sony have had a bad time with security recently.

Just last year it was forced to shut down its PlayStation network for 11 weeks after 77 million users had their personal data stolen – something which was far from a thriller for gaming enthusiasts.

And business has hardly been a scream for the Japanese firm either as it posted a $2 billion (£1.26 billion) loss last year.