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| FBI to release more details on Sony Pictures hack | FBI to release more details on Sony Pictures hack |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The FBI is investigating whether China played a role in the hacking of Sony Pictures, according to officials speaking to Reuters. | The FBI is investigating whether China played a role in the hacking of Sony Pictures, according to officials speaking to Reuters. |
| More details on the investigation, which has so far centred on North Korea, are expected to come before President Obama addresses the press early on Friday afternoon, but an FBI spokeswoman told the Guardian they could not confirm reports. | More details on the investigation, which has so far centred on North Korea, are expected to come before President Obama addresses the press early on Friday afternoon, but an FBI spokeswoman told the Guardian they could not confirm reports. |
| The investigation into the hack found North Korea was involved, and that there may also be a Chinese link, either through collaboration with Chinese actors or the use of Chinese servers to mask the origin of the attack, a US official said. | The investigation into the hack found North Korea was involved, and that there may also be a Chinese link, either through collaboration with Chinese actors or the use of Chinese servers to mask the origin of the attack, a US official said. |
| The hacking group Guardians of Peace reportedly sent Sony executives a message on Thursday evening, calling the studio’s Wednesday decision to cancel the release of the controversial film The Interview “very wise”. | The hacking group Guardians of Peace reportedly sent Sony executives a message on Thursday evening, calling the studio’s Wednesday decision to cancel the release of the controversial film The Interview “very wise”. |
| The statement was written in broken English and leaked to CNN. It continued: “Now we want you never let the movie released, distributed or leaked in any form of, for instance, DVD or piracy.” | The statement was written in broken English and leaked to CNN. It continued: “Now we want you never let the movie released, distributed or leaked in any form of, for instance, DVD or piracy.” |
| “And we want everything related to the movie, including its trailers, as well as its full version down from any website hosting them immediately.” | “And we want everything related to the movie, including its trailers, as well as its full version down from any website hosting them immediately.” |
| Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian. | Sony did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Guardian. |
| Any involvement by China could escalate an already politically explosive situation. In May, the Justice Department indicted five Chinese military officers, alleging that they had hacked into US companies in order to steal trade secrets. Among the companies targeted were Alcoa and US Steel. | Any involvement by China could escalate an already politically explosive situation. In May, the Justice Department indicted five Chinese military officers, alleging that they had hacked into US companies in order to steal trade secrets. Among the companies targeted were Alcoa and US Steel. |
| The indictment drew a furious response from Chinese officials, who said the charges were “based on fabricated facts” and “grossly” violated “the basic norms governing international relations”. China suspended participation in a US-China working group on cybersecurity. | The indictment drew a furious response from Chinese officials, who said the charges were “based on fabricated facts” and “grossly” violated “the basic norms governing international relations”. China suspended participation in a US-China working group on cybersecurity. |
| The FBI has been looking into the Sony hacking scandal since the beginning of December, and had previously stated in public they had been unable to establish a link with North Korea and its notorious Bureau 121 hacking unit. | The FBI has been looking into the Sony hacking scandal since the beginning of December, and had previously stated in public they had been unable to establish a link with North Korea and its notorious Bureau 121 hacking unit. |
| But anonymous federal law enforcement officials told various media outlets over the past 48 hours that a link between the hack and North Korea had been established. | But anonymous federal law enforcement officials told various media outlets over the past 48 hours that a link between the hack and North Korea had been established. |
| On Thursday, the White House stopped short of blaming North Korea, but described the hack as “a serious national security matter” and said it was considering a proportional response. | On Thursday, the White House stopped short of blaming North Korea, but described the hack as “a serious national security matter” and said it was considering a proportional response. |
| Sony has been left reeling from the November attack, after thousands of confidential documents, including employee social security numbers, personal emails, unreleased films and executive pay were published online. | Sony has been left reeling from the November attack, after thousands of confidential documents, including employee social security numbers, personal emails, unreleased films and executive pay were published online. |
| Guardians of Peace demanded that Sony Pictures pull the release of The Interview, a comedy starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, which depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. | Guardians of Peace demanded that Sony Pictures pull the release of The Interview, a comedy starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, which depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. |
| On Wednesday, Sony cancelled the film’s release after threats were made against cinemagoers and major US theater groups. | |
| Eddie Schwartz, president of White Ops, a cyber security specialist, said many hacks leave a digital “fingerprint” that could allow the authorities to identify the culprit. | Eddie Schwartz, president of White Ops, a cyber security specialist, said many hacks leave a digital “fingerprint” that could allow the authorities to identify the culprit. |
| Investigators will begin by looking at the malware, the software used by the hackers and then look at the next moves they made. “Different groups have different patterns of activity that they take on once they enter a system. Those patterns are like a fingerprint, almost like a playbook. You’ll see that they go after certain servers first, that they conduct operations in a certain way.” | Investigators will begin by looking at the malware, the software used by the hackers and then look at the next moves they made. “Different groups have different patterns of activity that they take on once they enter a system. Those patterns are like a fingerprint, almost like a playbook. You’ll see that they go after certain servers first, that they conduct operations in a certain way.” |
| Depending on the amount of information Sony has been able to gather, investigators will be able to build a profile of the hack and compare it to past attacks, said Schwartz. He said there was only a “small universe of teams” capable of pulling off a hack as large as this. | Depending on the amount of information Sony has been able to gather, investigators will be able to build a profile of the hack and compare it to past attacks, said Schwartz. He said there was only a “small universe of teams” capable of pulling off a hack as large as this. |
| Schwartz said North Korea was capable of pulling off the Sony hack, but that in past cases third parties had been shown to be responsible, and it was unclear who had commissioned them. | Schwartz said North Korea was capable of pulling off the Sony hack, but that in past cases third parties had been shown to be responsible, and it was unclear who had commissioned them. |