The United States said on Thursday a cyber attack on Sony Pictures was a serious national security matter and the Obama administration was considering a proportional response, although the White House stopped short of blaming North Korea.
US government sources said on Wednesday that investigators had determined the attack was “state sponsored” and that North Korea was the government involved.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he was not in a position to say that North Korea was responsible, but the investigation was “progressing.” He said the attack was an example of “destructive activity with malicious intent that was initiated by a sophisticated actor.”
Hackers who said they were incensed by a film on the fictional assassination of North Korea’s leader attacked Sony Corp last month, leaking documents that drew global headlines and distributing unreleased films on the Internet.
On Wednesday, Sony said it was canceling the Dec. 25 release of the offending movie, “The Interview,” handing what appeared to be an unprecedented victory to Pyongyang and its abilities to wage cyber warfare.
North Korea has denied that it was behind the Sony hacking.
US experts say options for the Obama administration could include cyber retaliation, financial sanctions and even a boost in US military support to South Korea to send a stern message to North Korea.
Political analysts, including Joel Wit of 38 North, a North Korea project at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, questioned the effectiveness of any new sanctions and stressed the need to ensure the support of China, which is North Korea’s biggest economic partner, its neighbor and long-time ally.
