Now this would make for a great movie (certainly better than “The Interview”). Here’s the plot. A reportedly awful movie is produced by Sony with little expected success. Then the company is hacked with threats not to release the movie. All fingers are pointed at North Korea, including statements from the White House and the FBI. There are widespread reports of the U.S. shutting down the North Korean Internet in retaliation. However, the real culprits are actually laid-off Sony staff. In the meantime, the suppressed movie racks in millions as viewers (including my kids last night) rush to see the forbidden movie. Now that’s a movie plot. It is not clear however if it should be fiction or non-fiction. Media is reporting that experts believe that North Korea was in fact innocent of the hacking and that the culprits were former employees of that other hermit kingdom, Sony.
Politico is reporting that a security firm has briefed the FBI on its belief that laid-off Sony staff hacked the system. The cyber intelligence company Norse have said their own investigation into the data on the Sony attack conflicts with a North Korean hack theory. While the FBI is standing by its conclusion that it was North Korea, other experts are not so sure.
Regardless of the ultimate conclusion, experts have questioned the quick conclusion of the FBI, which seemed eager to point to North Korea. The question is whether this conclusion was based on concrete evidence linking the regime or assumptions that are now being challenged. One expert is quoted as saying that, when the FBI announced its conclusions, it was far too early to make a firm decision. Others have said that the evidence suggests Russian rather than Korean hackers. The most common complaint among experts is that they are seeing the same base code evidence and that the evidence is “circumstantial at best.”
Nevertheless, the FBI cites undisclosed evidence and analysis for its conclusions:
“The FBI has concluded the Government of North Korea is responsible for the theft and destruction of data on the network of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Attribution to North Korea is based on intelligence from the FBI, the U.S. intelligence community, DHS, foreign partners and the private sector. There is no credible information to indicate that any other individual is responsible for this cyber incident.”
Of course, the best movie theory would be a conspiracy of Sony itself to pump up interest in a really bad film — using the Dear Leader as both the subject and the foil for driving people to see the movie. Any way this goes, it makes for one great whodunnit doesn’t it?
Source: Politico
IF you want to see a really GOOD North Korean film, watch this devastatingly accurate documentary about the USA. http://youtu.be/WEGMJE6I_Q4
All fingers are pointed at North Korea, including statements from the White House and the FBI. There are widespread reports of the U.S. shutting down the North Korean Internet in retaliation. However, the real culprits are actually laid-off Sony staff.
Yes, laid off Sony staff who were working clandestinely for the CIA to make it appear that Sony had been hacked by North Korea so the CIA could then, working with the NSA, hack the North Korean internet in order to gather information for the Defense Intelligence Agency to give to the NSA.
Not implausible, is it?
Troll who goes by Q insisted that he still had administrators password and was a “bored” hacker and spoofed a server into N Korea and it came back and he was LMAO when Sony thought they hacked in that way. idk. That’s what he said. This was before the S*** hit the fan. I will see if I can’t find the original message.
We, the public, are unlikely in the short term to learn the truth behind what happened. Face and security clearances are going to come into play.
Why listen to politicians who cite only “undisclosed evidence and analysis”? Obama may was well have said “Round up the usual suspects.” Actually, I’ve heard the sequel will be much funnier: “The Hermit Kingdom Strikes Back.”
I blame the Koch Brothers. This has their fingerprints all over it!!!
Steve H – was one of the Koch Bros. working for Sony?
Adding my praise to Isaac’s comment. Very interesting, concise and extremely well written. Concise is something that I really need to work on 😐
It is of the type I come here for, the kind I enjoy reading, not necessarily because it happens to agree with my ideas, but because the presentation is clear.
Exactly. We can all learn from each other. Try to persuade and in the course even BE persuaded. High caliber writing such as we find at Turley’s is why I am here as well.
Issac said …
Life is too short and the average individual cannot spare the time to explore the continuity of sausage making throughout history
1.) I have to agree with Nick on this one. Great comment, with succinct concepts. I should be able to write so clearly…however my “epistles” do try to convey cogent thought…usually I add too much “decoration” so to speak. I repeat, great comment. It is of the type I come here for, the kind I enjoy reading, not necessarily because it happens to agree with my ideas, but because the presentation is clear. I’m of the same opinion of Professor Turley’s posts, usually clear and concise. Again very worthy of a read, again even if I am not in full agreement per se. Did I say you made “great comment?”
2.) You should copyright that sentence 🙂 Having been on the inside of all too much “sausage making” I can attest to the veracity of your comment. Dead. On. The. Money. It does wear you out, or defy understanding in general. You reach a point, even on the “inside” where you just can’t contest all of it, but only small bits here and there from the inside.
3.) I paid a price for my instances of “rebellion” against internal law breaking, and generally asking questions few wanted to answer. In the end it cost me, rounded dollars, about $400 per month in retirement benefits, because I chose to do the right thing instead of the self-serving thing. I protected a valued subordinate’s position, because she earned it, and had I not stepped up I’d have been a punk, if I’d not forced the powers that be to retain her in her position and promote her to my old one. I do not regret that one bit.
Footnote: Coincidently, in my sojourn in the private sector I provided and serviced equipment for the sausage making businesses, and I can attest to the fact it is messy at best and it takes a very dedicated management to assure quality. There is one local outfit, actually an extended family operation, I always try to buy, and others, much bigger national brands that I avoid simply because I’ve worked in their plants….they are much closer to the “sausage making” in DC than the outfit that gives a hoot. And dang it…I just wrote another “epistle”…but I hope I’ve been clear none-the-less. I appreciate well written and thought out comments (as yours was here)…at my age it is a means to an end, learning.
Issac comment above: My compliments for a very finely written commentary on history and the parallels to the rise is Islamic power and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The view expressed on human nature, perspective, history, is exceptional. This is an example of why I read this blog. I skip over the infighting between others.
I just updated to the latest Microsoft security patches and got an idea for this flick.
Include Microsoft and Apple security geek squads working in a tizzy trying to plug up the hacking threats. Watch out for cloud computing….It’s a gray area.
Throw in Obama, NSA share plan, CIA as an extra for drama, suspense, murder and sex . It’ll be a box office hit.
For the record, Jane’s Defense also said (very early) that it was unlikely that NK was involved. This was based on their analysis of known capabilities and previous actions.
Just follow the money………
Off the subject but regarding the lawsuit against Obama why not plead in the alternative for Mandus relief to require Obama to perform a ministerial act – withdraw the executive order. This can be a heavy pleading but I’m available for the task. I worked at justice 5 Years between clerkships & private practice. In the firm where I practiced for 30 years my nickname was “The Mandamus Queen”. Evelyn Leopold Texas State Bar No 12218000
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The movie sounds great, as long as Mel Brooks makes it.
Reblogged this on The Insomniac Libertarian.
I often disagree w/ Isaac, but the dude has chops.
Entirely possible. We live in two worlds, the one we have access to and the shadow world of what we, in our lives, will never know, or perhaps no one will ever know. This is why, in the world we have access to, we can only express ideals such as no torture, no assassinations, no oligarchy, no nothing in the back rooms. In reality, it is only when the shadow world gets sloppy and provides a glimpse of what really goes on and has gone on, that we are astounded.
Life is too short and the average individual cannot spare the time to explore the continuity of sausage making throughout history. Back in the early part of the 19th Century when the Ottoman Empire was breaking up due to corruption from inside and Russian incursions through orthodox based societies it liberated from the Caliphate, Greece was invaded and occupied by Islam. The crucible of Western Life was held under foot by the polar opposite of Western Life. Atrocities of the most horrific sort were committed to suppress the Greek desire for independence, something that predated the bizarre religion of Islam by a thousand years plus.
The British and French, not wanting further expansion by the Russians at the cost of the Ottoman Empire, supported the Caliphate and its suppression of Greece. However, it was popular educated public opinion that rose up and directed the politicians of the day to eventually ally with Russia and support Greek independence. People like Lord Byron, who died fighting in Greece, lead the charge. Our society has its own champions from Hollywood and the intellectual circles.
In the end all the politicians and corporate leaders left alone to run things leads inevitably to ruin and the acceptance of disgust. Throughout history it has been the educated and aware public that has made the paradigm shifts that contribute to the evolution of society. Ignorance and nostalgia for a supposedly better time are our worst enemies. North Korea is our enemy therefore North Korea did it. Putin is our enemy therefore anything he does is wrong.
The same ignorant helpless population that is turning to thuggery in the Middle East differ from us only in their level of despair.
Smart money in geekdom is that Sony will not survive 2015.
I read the Politico piece earlier this morning. Private security experts have said ALL ALONG the most likely culprit was a former employee. Obama is either very Machiavellian or stupid. With so many gaffs in these 6 years, I suspect our supposedly brilliant prez is only book smart. We need people leading us who are book, people and street smart. Obama seems to be a dunce in the last 2 categories.