Hackers behind Sony attack may have targeted other Asian countries, report says

The hackers behind the November 2014 cyberattack against US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment over its controversial comedy The Interview may have targeted Japan and other Asian countries in similar attacks, according to a report released on Wednesday by a private cybersecurity coalition.

The document notes that although the hacker group’s victims have mainly been in the United States and South Korea, malware linked to the group has been detected in other Asian countries such as Japan, China and India.

US authorities have accused North Korea of carrying out the Sony Pictures cyberattack that took place ahead of the planned release of The Interview, a comedy about an assassination attempt on the country’s leader Kim Jong-un.

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Pyongyang harshly criticised the film, but denied any involvement in the attack.

In its own study of the incident, not connected with investigations by US authorities or Sony, the coalition led by security analytics company Novetta said it does not believe insiders or hacktivists are to blame, but rather “a more structured, resourced, and motivated organisation”.

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The report makes no claims as to whether the group, active since at least 2009, has any connection to Pyongyang, but Novetta CEO Peter LaMontagne said “This is very much supportive of the theory that this is nation-state [hacking activity].”