The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in close collaboration with other US Government departments and agencies now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for attacks on Sony Pictures.
The type of attacking software used to penetrate Sony Pictures' computer networks were those known to have been used by North Korea in the past.
The malware also included code that pointed to Internet addresses previously used by North Korea. The FBI also said the tools used to attack Sony were similar to those North Korea used against South Korean banks and media outlets.
North Korea denied allegations of its involvement on December 7 but expressed support for the hack at the time.
"The hacking into Sony Pictures might be a righteous deed of the supporters and sympathizers with the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]," a spokesman for North Korea said at the time.
The hackers claimed to have been motivated by a movie by Sony Pictures called "The Interview." The comedy focuses on an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korean officials expressed outrage to the White House in July over the film.
According to Cnet, the US would respond "proportionally" against North Korea for the cyberattack on Sony Pictures. "They caused a lot of damage," said Obama during his year-end press conference. The president declined to offer specifics on a response, saying only that it would come "at a place and time we choose."
"We cannot have a society in which some dictators some place can start imposing censorship here in the United States," he said. "If somebody is able to intimidate folks out of releasing a satirical movie, imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or news reports that they don't like."
Obama said the government will continue to engage with the film industry and the private sector on cybersecurity issues. He added that companies should anticipate future breaches but not let the possibility of hacks alter their business.
The type of attacking software used to penetrate Sony Pictures' computer networks were those known to have been used by North Korea in the past.
The malware also included code that pointed to Internet addresses previously used by North Korea. The FBI also said the tools used to attack Sony were similar to those North Korea used against South Korean banks and media outlets.
North Korea denied allegations of its involvement on December 7 but expressed support for the hack at the time.
"The hacking into Sony Pictures might be a righteous deed of the supporters and sympathizers with the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]," a spokesman for North Korea said at the time.
The hackers claimed to have been motivated by a movie by Sony Pictures called "The Interview." The comedy focuses on an assassination attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korean officials expressed outrage to the White House in July over the film.
According to Cnet, the US would respond "proportionally" against North Korea for the cyberattack on Sony Pictures. "They caused a lot of damage," said Obama during his year-end press conference. The president declined to offer specifics on a response, saying only that it would come "at a place and time we choose."
"We cannot have a society in which some dictators some place can start imposing censorship here in the United States," he said. "If somebody is able to intimidate folks out of releasing a satirical movie, imagine what they start doing once they see a documentary that they don't like or news reports that they don't like."
Obama said the government will continue to engage with the film industry and the private sector on cybersecurity issues. He added that companies should anticipate future breaches but not let the possibility of hacks alter their business.
