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North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

nytimes.com

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Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#11

Post by pokemongoaway »

madrox wrote: post #10

I work in the entertainment industry for a major Sony competitor. This hack was when entertainment execs started listening to their infosec people. It wasn't just IT. Media apps also got more secure and data retention policies got much, much more disciplined. The paranoia was real. I'd dare say it's why the big social media data retention scandal came out of the election instead of Hollywood. I've always been suspici…

Yes, perfect scape goat... And we're never going to hear the other side of the story. When did the world become so trusting of American intelligence agencies? Is it like everyone is desperate to support their stories these days - and their combined track record is worse than any criminal living today!

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#12

Post by openasocket »

jedberg wrote: post #6

What I really want to know is how did they learn the skills to do this? And more importantly, if they had that kind of access to outside information, how do they not know about the atrocities they are involved in? Or is it a catch 22 where if they don’t help then they become a victim?

Someone else has mentioned how they learn. As to why they do what they do, it's probably for the same reason people do most things: to get a better life for themselves and their family. I don't think they do this out of fear of becoming the victim, these are elite and well-trained operators. They volunteered to get this education, they aren't conscripts. As crazy as it sounds to you or I, I think these individuals genuinely believe in the DPRK, or at least are apathetic to it and think only in terms of their own advancement.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#13

Post by monocasa »

jedberg wrote: post #6

What I really want to know is how did they learn the skills to do this? And more importantly, if they had that kind of access to outside information, how do they not know about the atrocities they are involved in? Or is it a catch 22 where if they don’t help then they become a victim?

Remarkably low level citizens (basically grad students) have access to public (monitored) internet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Orcmmra9oLQ

My guess is that, like the incubator baby thing in Iraq, the more heinous crimes are just made up. It's easy to make up stories when there's no way to refute them.

The defector stories are already internally inconsistent. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/13/why-do-north-k...

EDIT: Would love to hear something counter in addition to the downvotes. Particularly against Shin Dong-hyuk's testimony which is hugely internally inconsistent, and also the basis for the idea of North Korea's concentration camps.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#14

Post by dsfyu404ed »

jedberg wrote: post #6

What I really want to know is how did they learn the skills to do this? And more importantly, if they had that kind of access to outside information, how do they not know about the atrocities they are involved in? Or is it a catch 22 where if they don’t help then they become a victim?

>And more importantly, if they had that kind of access to outside information, how do they not know about the atrocities they are involved in

Nation state hacking is like being one of the guys in a missile silo. Your job is to maintain the capability to hurt your enemy. You rarely actually do it though. You just hack media companies and fire off test missiles once in awhile. It's much easier to sleep at night being the guy who does that than being the guy who carts people's families off to the gulag or being the NSA analyst who has to go dig up dirt on politicians.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#15

Post by chrisdsaldivar »

jedberg wrote: post #4
sillyquiet wrote: post #2

It kind of blows my mind that North Korea is responsible for Spider-Man joining the MCU.

I’ve heard this a few times but I’m not super familiar with the ins and outs of the MCU and who owns (owned) what. Can you connect the dots for me?

When Sony was hacked over The Interview a bunch of emails were leaked including some between Sony and Marvel. Apparently Spiderman was supposed to be in Captain America: Civil War but the deal fell through. When the emails leaked about it fans went nuts a pushed Sony to include Spiderman in the MCU which ended up happening. Sony still has the rights to Spiderman he's just part of the MCU now.

I'd recommend reading the emails. They show just how badly Sony needed Marvel's help to make a good Spiderman. Here's my favorite http://imgur.com/XiqC6fz

Edit: Also Sony was trying to make their own Spiderman universe instead of being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#16

Post by OliverJones »

I wish someone could explain the logic of indicting foreign nationals when there's no hope of bringing them to trial. A 179-page criminal complaint must have cost a substantial sum.

Justice Department could have spent that money explaining "correct horse battery staple" (https://xkcd.com/936/) to its own people, and so made us all a bit safer.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#17

Post by openasocket »

madrox wrote: post #10

I work in the entertainment industry for a major Sony competitor. This hack was when entertainment execs started listening to their infosec people. It wasn't just IT. Media apps also got more secure and data retention policies got much, much more disciplined. The paranoia was real. I'd dare say it's why the big social media data retention scandal came out of the election instead of Hollywood. I've always been suspici…

There's some fairly extensive information publicly available in support of the NK connection. I'll point to https://www.operationblockbuster.com/wp-content/uploads/2016... (disclaimer: I worked with the team that wrote that report, though not on Operation Blockbuster itself). That information shows that the group behind the Sony Hack were a previously unknown APT group. Analysis of malware used, C&C servers, and even re-used certificates connect this group to a variety of other attacks in the years prior, all targeting various South Korean entertainment and financial institutions. The report I linked to provides more information.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#18

Post by [deleted] »

jedberg wrote: post #6

What I really want to know is how did they learn the skills to do this? And more importantly, if they had that kind of access to outside information, how do they not know about the atrocities they are involved in? Or is it a catch 22 where if they don’t help then they become a victim?

[deleted]

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#19

Post by laken »

chrisdsaldivar wrote: post #15
jedberg wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve heard this a few times but I’m not super familiar with the ins and outs of the MCU and who owns (owned) what. Can you connect the dots for me?

When Sony was hacked over The Interview a bunch of emails were leaked including some between Sony and Marvel. Apparently Spiderman was supposed to be in Captain America: Civil War but the deal fell through. When the emails leaked about it fans went nuts a pushed Sony to include Spiderman in the MCU which ended up happening. Sony still has the rights to Spiderman he's just part of the MCU now. I'd recommend reading th…

For some further background, many of the most popular Marvel characters' rights were sold off years before the MCU & Disney acquisition, such as Spiderman.

Disney has tried to get back as many as they could, and are continuing to do so. Off the top of my head, Universal currently owns theme park rights to Spiderman, Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four on east-coast USA. In regards to film rights, Fox owns X-Men and Fantastic Four, and Sony owns Spiderman. One of the reasons Disney is pushing hard for acquiring Fox is to get back the X-Men rights from Fox, as that's the 'easiest' way to add them into the MCU.

Re: North Korean Spy to Be Charged in Sony Pictures Hacking

#20

Post by sillyquiet »

chrisdsaldivar wrote: post #15
jedberg wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve heard this a few times but I’m not super familiar with the ins and outs of the MCU and who owns (owned) what. Can you connect the dots for me?

When Sony was hacked over The Interview a bunch of emails were leaked including some between Sony and Marvel. Apparently Spiderman was supposed to be in Captain America: Civil War but the deal fell through. When the emails leaked about it fans went nuts a pushed Sony to include Spiderman in the MCU which ended up happening. Sony still has the rights to Spiderman he's just part of the MCU now. I'd recommend reading th…

Unless things has drastically improved at Sony, this does not bode well for Venom.
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