FBI Conclusively Links North Korea to Sony Cyber Attack

A banner for "The Interview"is posted outside Arclight Cinemas, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. A U.S. official says North Korea perpetrated the unprecedented act of cyberwarfare ag... A banner for "The Interview"is posted outside Arclight Cinemas, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. A U.S. official says North Korea perpetrated the unprecedented act of cyberwarfare against Sony Pictures that exposed tens of thousands of sensitive documents and escalated to threats of terrorist attacks that ultimately drove the studio to cancel all release plans for "The Interview." (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) MORE LESS
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says it’s determined the North Korean government was behind a devastating hacking attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The FBI announcement Friday is the first official statement blaming the isolated country for the cyber-attack.

In the statement, federal officials say they found similarities between the tools used in the Sony attack and previous hacks linked to North Korea.

Administration officials had previously declined to openly blame North Korea but said they were weighing various options for a response.

The break-in resulted in the disclosure of tens of thousands of leaked emails and other materials and escalated to terrorist threats that promoted Sony to cancel the Christmas release of the movie “The Interview.” The comedy is about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

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  1. The Obama administration says it’s determined the North Korean government was behind a devastating hacking attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment.

    I’m looking for an explanation as to why an attack, of any kind, on a Japanese company merits our involvement, and why any response is in our national interest.

  2. I think they see it as an escalation in cyber-terrorism. If the North Koreans are willing to do this over a butthurt, what else are they willing to do?

  3. Funny that after Obama made the ‘proportional response’ comment in his presser North Korea came out with a whole ‘we didn’t do it!’ line, while China is sitting in the background saying, ‘yeah, they’re a bunch of dicks.’

    Well, they were threatening an American movie and the movie release was here in the US. If this was a foreign (not domestically produced) movie being released in a foreign country, then I’m right with you. Otherwise, hell and damnation on any nation state that threatens my two hours of mindless entertainment!

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