Sony Pictures Shuts Down Filming; North Korea Likely Behind Hacking Attack

The situation with the Sony Pictures leak is continuing to worsen. New reports say that Sony has shut down filming in wakes of the hacking since their financial software has been compromised, and they are unable to process payments.

North Korea had previously denied any involvement in the hacking. A diplomat for the country stated, “Linking the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) to the Sony hacking is another fabrication targeting the country. My country publicly declared that it would follow international norms banning hacking and piracy.”

However, new evidence has come to light which links the hackers, who refer to themselves as the Guardians of Peace, to North Korea. House Intelligence Committee chair, Mike Rogers, commented on the situation to Christian Science Monitor saying, “I would argue, as a former FBI guy, that when a nation state says that this group who doesn’t know who we are but did this on behalf of the North Korean people… and we appreciate it… As we would say in the FBI, ‘That is a clue.'”

North Korea did make an additional recent comment on the hacking according to Rogers, their government calling it a “righteous deed.”

Rogers continued to say that he is “fairly confident” that North Korea is responsible for the hacking and that it also closely resembles a previous attack by the country on South Korea called “DarkSeoul” in which banks and media companies were hit last year.

The leading cause of all of this is still believed to be The Interview. Earlier this year after the trailer for the film was released, North Korean officials called the film “a most wanton act of terror and act of war.”

Last weekend an email was sent out to Sony employees stating:

I am the head of GOP who made you worry.

Removing Sony Pictures on earth is a very tiny work for our group which is a worldwide organization. And what we have done so far is only a small part of our further plan. It’s your false if you think this crisis will be over after some time. All hope will leave you and Sony Pictures will collapse. This situation is only due to Sony Pictures. Sony Pictures is responsible for whatever the result is. Sony Pictures clings to what is good to nobody from the beginning. It’s silly to expect in Sony Pictures to take off us. Sony Pictures makes only useless efforts. One beside you can be our member.

Many things beyond imagination will happen at many places of the world. Our agents find themselves act in necessary places. Please sign your name to object the false of the company at the email address below if you don’t want to suffer damage. If you don’t, not only you but your family will be in danger.

Nobody can prevent us, but the only way is to follow our demand. If you want to prevent us, make your company behave wisely.

James Franco, star of The Interview, tried to make light of the situation last Saturday when he hosted Saturday Night Live.

“Something pretty crazy happened this week. I have this movie called The Interview coming out at Sony and this week Sony Studios got all their computers hacked. This is true. These hackers have leaked real personal information about everybody that works with Sony. Social security numbers, emails, and I know eventually they’re going to start leaking out stuff about me. So before you hear it from someone else, I thought it would be better if you hear it from me.” Franco said in his monologue before going on to make jokes about what personal information about him could leak.

Check out the video below from SNL:

We’ll keep you posted as more information on the hacking surfaces. To read about the additional information and emails that have been leaked, check out our additional articles on the situation: Sony Leaks