Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

washingtonpost.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 253 posts

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#81

Post by 1001101 »

mc32 wrote: post #62
1001101 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right. Watching the Noam Chomsky documentary, Manufacturing Consent, on YouTube really opened my eyes to this phenomena. Based on what I have observed recently, I think the decision was made some time ago on this, and we're being told what to think.

It's good to be skeptical but I think when you have preponderance of evidence in one way, it's not unreasonable to reach a conclusion. Remember Noam was the same guy who for political reasons did not want to believe Pol Pot was mowing through millions despite large amounts of information filtering out of the country corroborating the atrocities others claimed were taking place. Additionally, there is no need to "manu…

Did people think highly of Saddam in 2003?

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#82

Post by quakeguy »

openasocket wrote: post #74
cottsak wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed, confirming that there is no public evidence which hard links Lazarus to DPRK. Just want everyone to know the facts.

What would a "hard link" be? A signed confession from the head of the DPRK military? Under the circumstances, barring classified intelligence (like the NSA may have), we are as sure as we can be.

So we are unsure.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#83

Post by quakeguy »

1001101 wrote: post #54
claytonjy wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I don't think this is the case here, specifically, propaganda isn't always about swaying people from anti- to pro-; it could be for swaying people from "they are bad, but not that dangerous" to "they are dangerous enough that we should intervene with force"

Right. Watching the Noam Chomsky documentary, Manufacturing Consent, on YouTube really opened my eyes to this phenomena. Based on what I have observed recently, I think the decision was made some time ago on this, and we're being told what to think.

Exactly my thoughts.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#84

Post by quakeguy »

1001101 wrote: post #81
mc32 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's good to be skeptical but I think when you have preponderance of evidence in one way, it's not unreasonable to reach a conclusion. Remember Noam was the same guy who for political reasons did not want to believe Pol Pot was mowing through millions despite large amounts of information filtering out of the country corroborating the atrocities others claimed were taking place. Additionally, there is no need to "manu…

Did people think highly of Saddam in 2003?

Some did, but not in the western hemisphere iirc.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#85

Post by mythrwy »

cottsak wrote: post #38
openasocket wrote: post #21

OK, so I know this is going to come up in the comments, but this is not remotely a baseless allegation. The Lazarus group (one of the names for the DPRK-associated APT group) is somewhat well known and is quite sophisticated. This is the same group that hacked Sony a few years back. And to preempt people who are going to chime in with "Sony was just some insider leaking data" there is extensive evidence showing it wa…

It's not been fully confirmed/established that Lazarus group == DPRK: see "false flag" from Kaspersky researchers https://www.wired.com/2017/05/wannacry-ransomware-link-suspe...

I don't see false flag being reasonable in this case.

The public sentiment gains from drumming up a case against NK aren't measurably enhanced by this enough to justify the effort. I wouldn't think. But one never knows.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#86

Post by mc32 »

1001101 wrote: post #81
mc32 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's good to be skeptical but I think when you have preponderance of evidence in one way, it's not unreasonable to reach a conclusion. Remember Noam was the same guy who for political reasons did not want to believe Pol Pot was mowing through millions despite large amounts of information filtering out of the country corroborating the atrocities others claimed were taking place. Additionally, there is no need to "manu…

Did people think highly of Saddam in 2003?

There was lots of skepticism but in the end because of lack of good humint a lot of weight was placed on his behavior (his continued pretense/bluffing for the purpose of not disclosing weakness to Iran), the international community with the US at the lead reached a faulty conclusion.

With regard to DPRK S Korea has great humint and we have multiple defectors corroborating each other (whereas Iraq there was basically one guy feeding intelligence services lies) so I would say it's not the same.

In addition, the regime provides all the evidence necessary (not just boastful claims) we sample the atmosphere as well as have seismometers corroborating their claims of nuclear development. There is no question as toward their progress nor their intentions.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#87

Post by jonnybgood »

clouddrover wrote: post #79
threeseed wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And this is based on what, exactly ? If you're going to make hyperbolic statements maybe some clarifications would be useful.

> And this is based on what, exactly ? The NSA developed the exploits that WannaCry was based on. The NSA lost control of its weapon (EternalBlue) in the Shadow Brokers leak and the world suffered economic damage as a consequence. The NSA doesn't seem interested in switching to a more defensive role where they will inform software makers of the security problems they find. Instead they seem intent on maintaining offe…

To be fair, the NSA was never given the mission to take on that defensive role you state. Their mission includes the defense of classified systems. Defense of any other systems is not their responsibility.

The offensive capability you state is part of their mission and is what NSA was created for.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#88

Post by openasocket »

quakeguy wrote: post #82
openasocket wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would a "hard link" be? A signed confession from the head of the DPRK military? Under the circumstances, barring classified intelligence (like the NSA may have), we are as sure as we can be.

So we are unsure.

Out of curiosity, what evidence would convince you?

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#89

Post by bo1024 »

threeseed wrote: post #18
jlgaddis wrote: post #2

The NSA has lost all credibility, as far as I am concerned.

And this is based on what, exactly ? If you're going to make hyperbolic statements maybe some clarifications would be useful.

Maybe credibility is not the best choice of word, but you could make an argument for "trustworthiness". In other words, the question is not so much the NSA's competence as their good intentions.

Re: The NSA has linked the WannaCry computer worm to North Korea

#90

Post by igivanov »

threeseed wrote: post #32
iffe_closure wrote: post #11

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I take any hacking blame from gov to gov as likely propaganda.

The idea that the US needs to actively spread propaganda about North Korea is pretty ridiculous. You are aware that they have been sending missiles on a regular basis and inviting criticism from pretty much everyone. Who exactly is pro-North Korea that the US is trying to sway ?

Is it as ridiculous as US spreading propaganda against Saddam's Iraq?
Post reply on HN