The FBI said in a statement that tools used in the attack on Sony pictures are similar to a March 2013 attack on South Korean institutions, which was carried out by North Korea.
"Technical analysis of the data deletion malware used in this attack revealed links to other malware that the FBI knows North Korea actors previously developed," the statement said.
A U.S. official earlier Friday had said authorities believe that the hackers used Chinese servers to make it look like the attack was coming from the People's Republic territory. China denies any involvement, saying it does not support hacking committed within its borders. Representatives for the Chinese Embassy in Washington have even gone as far as requesting that the U.S. share evidence that they have in the hacking case.
North Korea meanwhile continues to deny its involvement in the Sony hack, which resulted in the online leak of personal employee information and unreleased films.
During a press conference on Friday, President Obama said that he thought Sony "made a mistake" by succumbing to cyber threats.
"Sony's a corporation. It suffered significant damage. There were threats against some of its employees," he said. "I am sympathetic to the concerns that they faced. Having said all that, yes, I think they made a mistake."
Obama said he wishes Sony had discussed the matter with him before pulling the film.
"Imagine if producers and distributors and others start engaging in self-censorship because they don't want to offend the sensibilities of somebody whose sensibilities probably need to be offended"
Another Hollywood Studio Bows to Fears
The Alamo Drafthouse, an independent cinema based in Austin, planned to screen "Team America" as a way to appease customers frustrated by "The Interview’s" cancellation. Two other theaters, the Capitol Theater in Cleveland, and Plaza Atlanta in Atlanta, also made plans to show "Team America."
But on Thursday, Paramount Pictures, "Team America’s" distributors, pulled the plug. While Alamo Drafthouse cited “circumstances beyond our control,” Capitol Theater tweeted that the screening “has been canceled by Paramount Pictures.”
— Alamo Drafthouse DFW (@AlamoDFW) December 18, 2014
The studio has made no comment about its decision, and there is no evidence to suggest that the Guardians of Peace – or any other North Korea affiliated hacking group – made specific threats regarding "Team America."
— Capitol Theatre (@CapitolW65th) December 18, 2014
Made by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, "Team America" also satirizes the North Korean leadership. The film’s villain is a singing marionette doll version of former North Korean leader, Kim Jung Il, who by film’s end becomes impaled on a German diplomat’s helmet spike, and is revealed to be a…well, we won’t ruin the ending.
This isn’t the first time that the 2004 comedy has run into trouble. When it was first released, the North Korean government demanded that the film be banned in the Czech Republic.
“It harms the image of our country,” a North Korean diplomat said at the time. “Such behavior is not part of our country’s political culture. Therefore, we want the film banned.”
The reaction to Sony’s decision earlier this week has been mixed, with some calling the cancellation of "The Interview" a wise choice to avoid unnecessary fallout, and others calling it a mockery of free speech.
