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Bloomberg, NY Times

As Investigators Dig Into Sony Hacker Attack, North Korea and ‘SNL’ Offer Their Takes on the Incident

Dec 8, 2014  •  Post A Comment

Investigators are starting to unravel the mystery of the massive computer hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment, even as North Korea denied it had anything to do with it.

Bloomberg reported the attackers’ digital footprint was traced to the high-speed network at Bangkok’s posh St. Regis hotel, and the hackers drilled in from there, but “whether from a guest room, a public area like the lobby or a separate location is unknown.”

Bloomberg said who the hackers were remains unclear, adding: “As cybersecurity experts sift through clues, many say the episode bears the hallmarks of DarkSeoul, a hacking group with suspected links to North Korea that struck South Korean banks and media companies in 2013.”

On Sunday, North Korea denied any responsibility for the attack, The New York Times reported. But the country also released a statement that the Times said “appeared to relish the cyberattack that crippled the computer systems of Sony, which is set to release a Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy involving a plot to assassinate its leader, Kim Jong-un.”

A spokesman for North Korea’s National Defense Commission was quoted by the country’s Korean Central News Agency as saying that Sony Pictures is producing “a film abetting a terrorist act while hurting the dignity of the supreme leadership.” He also speculated the attack “might be a righteous deed of the supporters and sympathizers with” North Korea, as it seeks to end U.S. imperialism, the Times reported.

Meanwhile, Rogen and Franco made fun of the whole episode on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” showing the audience “leaked” photos of them cuddling shirtless, a la John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Here’s Franco’s opening monologue:

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