NSA Director on Sony Hack: ‘The Entire World is Watching’

National Security Agency Director Admiral Michael Rogers expressed support Thursday for the United States’ economic sanctions against North Korea in response to the hack on Sony Pictures Entertainment, and called the attack against the movie studio a “game changer” for cybersecurity.

“Sony is important to me because the entire world is watching how we as a nation are going to respond do this,” Rogers said Thursday at the International Conference on Cyber Security in New York. “If we don’t name names here, it will only encourage others to decide, ‘Well this must not be a red line for the United States.'”

After naming North Korea responsible for the attack against Sony, the U.S. announced sanctions last week against 10 individuals and three organizations in North Korea, including the state’s main intelligence agency and its primary arms exporter. The sanctions effectively denied them access to U.S. financial systems.

In his address at the conference, Rogers endorsed the U.S. response to the Sony attack, implying the U.S. government should have a key role in responding to some cyberattacks on private companies. “I don’t think it’s realistic” for private companies “to deal with [cyberattacks] totally by themselves,” he said.

Rogers that hacks against private companies may require economic sanctions. “Merely because something happens to us in the cyber arena, doesn’t mean that our response has to be focused in the cyber arena” he said. “I was very happy to see what we as a nation state decided to do,” referring to the response to North Korea.

He also expressed skepticism about so-called “hack backs” in which private companies strike back against hackers, saying they risk “fratricide” by escalating cyber attacks between nation states and institutions.

The NSA was asked to examine malware used in the Sony hack and played a supporting role in determining its origins, Rogers said. The November hack brought down the studio’s networks and resulted in the leaks of terabytes of files including unreleased films and employee Social Security numbers. President Obama said last month the U.S. would launch a proportional response to the attack.

Rogers said North Korea was responsible for the hack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, reaffirming government claims despite doubts among some cybersecurity experts. “I remain very confident: this was North Korea,” Rogers said.

The remarks come a day after FBI Director James Comey said North Korea was “sloppy” in concealing the attack and said he had “high confidence” the hermit state was responsible.
Some cybersecurity experts have argued that the evidence North Korea is behind the attack is inconclusive, noting that the hack may have been the work of disgruntled employees or criminals.

Rogers also urged Congress to pass legislation that would encourage information sharing between private companies and the government on cyber threats.

Time: http://ti.me/1kgYCqw

 

« Critical Infrasctructure: UK and US Power Grids - Under Cyber Attack Every Minute
Industrial Internet of Things: Big Opportunities and Challenges »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

ZenGRC

ZenGRC

ZenGRC (formerly Reciprocity) is a leader in the GRC SaaS landscape, offering robust and intuitive products designed to make compliance straightforward and efficient.

Practice Labs

Practice Labs

Practice Labs is an IT competency hub, where live-lab environments give access to real equipment for hands-on practice of essential cybersecurity skills.

CSI Consulting Services

CSI Consulting Services

Get Advice From The Experts: * Training * Penetration Testing * Data Governance * GDPR Compliance. Connecting you to the best in the business.

ManageEngine

ManageEngine

As the IT management division of Zoho Corporation, ManageEngine prioritizes flexible solutions that work for all businesses, regardless of size or budget.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

HPE is an information technology company focused on Enterprise networking, Services and Support.

Secure Source

Secure Source

Secure Source specialise in search and recruitment for Cyber Security and Security Cleared markets.

8MAN

8MAN

8MAN is a leading Access Rights Management (ARM) solution in Microsoft and virtual server environments.

RiskLens

RiskLens

RiskLens is a software company that specializes in the quantification of cybersecurity risk.

GovCERT Austria

GovCERT Austria

GovCERT Austria is the Austrian Government Computer Emergency Response Team. Its constituency consists of Austria's public administration.

Prescient

Prescient

Prescient’s Cyber solutions supplement your firm’s existing data security infrastructure with specialized investigations that identify unconventional cyber risks.

Tesorion

Tesorion

Tesorion is a fusion of different enterprises each with its own specialisation in the field of cybersecurity. We have combined these specialisations to create an integrated comprehensive solution.

Ensconce Data Technology (EDT)

Ensconce Data Technology (EDT)

EDT’s focus is on providing solutions to properly sanitize Solid State Drives (SSD) and Magnetic Drives (HDD) before they are disposed or redeployed.

Cambridge Cybercrime Centre

Cambridge Cybercrime Centre

The Cambridge Cybercrime Centre is a multi-disciplinary initiative combining expertise from the Department of Computer Science and Technology, Institute of Criminology and Faculty of Law.

RIA in a Box

RIA in a Box

MyRIACompliance combines our team of RIA compliance experts with an online software platform to help investment advisers better manage regulatory compliance and cybersecurity responsibilities.

Cyber Risk Institute (CRI)

Cyber Risk Institute (CRI)

CRI is a not-for-profit coalition of financial institutions and trade associations working to protect the global economy by enhancing cybersecurity and resiliency through standardization.

NetScout Systems

NetScout Systems

NetScout assures digital business services against disruptions in availability, performance, and security.

Infoline Tec Group Berhad

Infoline Tec Group Berhad

Infoline Tec Group Berhad is principally involved in providing IT infrastructure solutions, cybersecurity service provider and solutions, managed IT and other IT services.

Knownsec

Knownsec

Knownsec provides customers with cloud defense, cloud monitoring, and cloud mapping products and services with "AI + security big data" as the underlying capability.

CoGuard

CoGuard

CoGuard is a patented solution that uses AI driven automation to provide fast, cost effective white-box penetration testing, infrastructure audits and infrastructure design services.

Operant Networks

Operant Networks

Operant Networks mission is to provide Operational Technology (OT) teams with solutions that simplify their increasingly complex worlds.