US government sanctions North Korea for Sony hack as 'The Interview' reigns atop iTunes charts

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2015
U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order on Friday, placing new sanctions against North Korea related to its government's believed involvement in an act of cyberterrorism that targeted Sony Pictures Entertainment.




Calling North Korea's cyberattacks "provocative, destabilizing, and repressive," the White House authorized the Secretary of the Treasury to impose sanctions on individuals and entities affiliated with the country's government. Regarding the attack on Sony, the Obama administration called the North Korean government "destructive and coercive."

"We take seriously North Korea's attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a U.S. company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression," the White House said in a statement.

The steps taken on Friday were said to be just the "first measure" of the U.S. government's response. Obama has pledged to make a response that is proportional to the crippling attack on Sony, which came about because of the North Korean government's apparent unhappiness with the content of its new film "The Interview."

In an unprecedented move, Sony opted to release the film both in theaters and through digital services on Christmas Day. It took a few extra days for the film to end up on iTunes, but as of Friday the comedy is still the top selling movie on Apple's iTunes Store.




Available to rent for $5.99 and purchase for $14.99, "The Interview" depicts actors Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists instructed to assassinate Kim Jong-Un, the leader of North Korea. Offended by the premise of the movie, hackers said to be from North Korea compromised Sony Pictures Entertainment and threatened to attack theaters that played the film.

Sony eventually opted for a simultaneous digital release -- a rare move in Hollywood --?after major theater chains announced they would not be showing the movie on its opening day of Christmas. Smaller and independent theaters did end up debuting the movie on Dec. 25, and no incidents occurred.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 138
    freerangefreerange Posts: 1,597member
    Nailed 'em!
  • Reply 2 of 138
    This is sad since it's highly unlikely that NK even did the hack. The FBI used very old code that's been out in the public for some time now to determine that NK was behind it, and numerous experts have determined that NK did not hack Sony. My gut tells me the FBI blew this one and is now trying to keep from looking like idiots. They discounted a well-known security company's conclusions before they even saw the data behind it. I like Obama, but I think he missed it on this one and caved to public pressure. Unfortunate. There are lots of good reasons to hammer NK. This probably isn't one of them, and if it turns out they weren't behind the Sony hack it makes us look like morons.
  • Reply 3 of 138
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    Smaller and independent theaters did end up debuting the movie on Dec. 25, and no incidents occurred.

     

    Saw the 12 noon Xmas day showing at a local art house.

    Exercised my right to spend disposable income on decadent bourgeois entertainment.

  • Reply 4 of 138
    magman1979magman1979 Posts: 1,292member
    stoutie wrote: »
    This is sad since it's highly unlikely that NK even did the hack. The FBI used very old code that's been out in the public for some time now to determine that NK was behind it, and numerous experts have determined that NK did not hack Sony. My gut tells me the FBI blew this one and is now trying to keep from looking like idiots. They discounted a well-known security company's conclusions before they even saw the data behind it. I like Obama, but I think he missed it on this one and caved to public pressure. Unfortunate. There are lots of good reasons to hammer NK. This probably isn't one of them, and if it turns out they weren't behind the Sony hack it makes us look like morons.
    Unfortunately this isn't what makes the US look like idiots... All it takes is one look at your Congress, that seals the deal... :no:
  • Reply 5 of 138
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    stoutie wrote: »
    This is sad since it's highly unlikely that NK even did the hack. The FBI used very old code that's been out in the public for some time now to determine that NK was behind it, and numerous experts have determined that NK did not hack Sony. My gut tells me the FBI blew this one and is now trying to keep from looking like idiots. They discounted a well-known security company's conclusions before they even saw the data behind it. I like Obama, but I think he missed it on this one and caved to public pressure. Unfortunate. There are lots of good reasons to hammer NK. This probably isn't one of them, and if it turns out they weren't behind the Sony hack it makes us look like morons.

    I read all about that same theory but it was just as much speculation as the idea they did it.
  • Reply 6 of 138
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by stoutie View Post



    This is sad since it's highly unlikely that NK even did the hack. The FBI used very old code that's been out in the public for some time now to determine that NK was behind it, and numerous experts have determined that NK did not hack Sony. My gut tells me the FBI blew this one and is now trying to keep from looking like idiots. They discounted a well-known security company's conclusions before they even saw the data behind it. I like Obama, but I think he missed it on this one and caved to public pressure. Unfortunate. There are lots of good reasons to hammer NK. This probably isn't one of them, and if it turns out they weren't behind the Sony hack it makes us look like morons.



    "Highly unlikely".... "FBI used old code that's been out..."



    i.e.  you don't know, and you're just guessing.  

  • Reply 7 of 138
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    I read all about that same theory but it was just as much speculation as the idea they did it.



    I read the article that goes into detail for the reasons NK was not likely involved and I disagree with you.  Let's just stipulate that you're right and it is just as much speculation as the idea they did it.  Should the US sanction another country based on speculation? 

  • Reply 8 of 138
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Can we please just cut off the Norks completely? Zero exceptions? Everything blocked.

     

    Force his hand, end the war, and remove Korea as an economic challenge to the US. AND NO US MONEY SENT TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY.

     

    We’re perpetuating crimes against humanity on the order of the Holodomor here. There’s no justification for allowing North Korea to continue to exist.

  • Reply 9 of 138
    Will the FBI ever release the irrefutable evidence it has that proves North Korea is the villain of this hack? Or will this be another instance when the United States government blatantly lies to citizens and non-allied countries about what really happened?
  • Reply 10 of 138
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    Talking about another dumb Obama move!. Forget that Obama shouldn't be doing something like this, congress should be the one's, but this a government going after another government over hacking being done to a private company!!!. This wasn't a attack at the government of the U.S, But a private business. Talking about a dumb move!!!. What's next? Talking about one really bad president, this clearly shows it I'd nothing else at this point has.
  • Reply 11 of 138
    Can we please just cut off the Norks completely? Zero exceptions? Everything blocked.

    Force his hand, end the war, and remove Korea as an economic challenge to the US. AND NO US MONEY SENT TO REBUILD THE COUNTRY.

    We’re perpetuating crimes against humanity on the order of the Holodomor here. There’s no justification for allowing North Korea to continue to exist.

    No.
  • Reply 12 of 138

    Sanction China. China keeps North Korea alive as a drain on our economy.

     

    Let China have Korea. Withdraw our troops from Korea and save billions of taxpayer dollars each year.

     

    Maybe then this useless Congress will spend some money on our crumbling infrastructure.

  • Reply 13 of 138
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by leavingthebigG View Post

    No.



    Great argument¡

  • Reply 14 of 138

    Great argument¡

    Yep..
  • Reply 15 of 138
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by leavingthebigG View Post

    Yep..

     

    Want to be reported for spam or are you going to bother explaining yourself?

  • Reply 16 of 138

    Well Stoutie, I am wondering how you have unreleased info on what the Feds evidence is. The "well known" security company also had no evidence and nothing factual to refute the Feds conclusion. You don't really know anything and are just regurgitating speculation of others. What's highly unlikely is anyone besides the Feds, North Koreans and maybe the Chinese really know what took place.

     

    Are you defending North Korea as a nation? A repressive, dictatorial, murdering regime (would you like to dispute that assertion?) deserves whatever they get and if it comes about from an action attributed to them without publicly disclosed supporting evidence, I frankly don't care. And I am willing to bet most Americans and residents of free countries that can see past their anti-American bias would agree.

     

    Regarding what your "gut tells you" - Most likely, that's a gas problem. Take some Beano and if that doesn't work, try probiotics. I bet one of those will get your gut to stop talking to you and anybody else within the stink zone.

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by stoutie View Post



    This is sad since it's highly unlikely that NK even did the hack. The FBI used very old code that's been out in the public for some time now to determine that NK was behind it, and numerous experts have determined that NK did not hack Sony. My gut tells me the FBI blew this one and is now trying to keep from looking like idiots. They discounted a well-known security company's conclusions before they even saw the data behind it. I like Obama, but I think he missed it on this one and caved to public pressure. Unfortunate. There are lots of good reasons to hammer NK. This probably isn't one of them, and if it turns out they weren't behind the Sony hack it makes us look like morons.

  • Reply 17 of 138
    Want to be reported for spam or are you going to bother explaining yourself?

    Spam? No.
  • Reply 18 of 138
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    williamh wrote: »

    I read the article that goes into detail for the reasons NK was not likely involved and I disagree with you.  Let's just stipulate that you're right and it is just as much speculation as the idea they did it.  Should the US sanction another country based on speculation? 

    I didn't have an opinion, you read that into my comment yourself. I simply stated I've read the same article you did. I do not have access to sufficient information to know who is right either way.
  • Reply 20 of 138
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    stevenoz wrote: »
    <h1 style="border:0px;color:rgb(0,0,0);letter-spacing:1px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-top:20px;padding-bottom:0px;vertical-align:baseline;">No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony</h1>


    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/24/no-north-korea-didn-t-hack-sony.html?utm_content=buffercecb3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

    As I said I read this and I still don't know enough to know one way or the other. I learned along time ago; 'being on the www doesn't make it so ... '

    I can point you to articles that defy the four laws of thermodynamics or Samsung is out selling more profitable than Apple and people believe every word ... just saying ... ;)

    But I agree with TS, any excuse to stick it to the moron running NK is OK with me guilty or not .. 8-)
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