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North Korea turns off foreigners' mobile internet access
You probably aren't planning a trip to North Korea any time soon, but if you are... well, don't expect to post your Instagram photos while you're there. The country's only cellphone provider, Koryolink, has turned off its 3G network access for foreigners due to a "service outage" from a "local internet provider." It's not clear what happened or when service will be back online. However, the shutoff followed just a day after Pyongyang's Koryo Hotel caught fire. While it's possible that this is a genuine outage unconnected to the blaze, officials also arrested outsiders trying to take photos of the incident -- this may be a convenient way of preventing embarrassing photos from reaching the rest of the world. [Image credit: Getty Images]
The US will protect Japan against cyberattacks
The US knows that it's not enough to protect its own networks against cyberattacks -- its allies have to be safe, too. Appropriately, it's agreeing to shield Japan from digital assaults against its military and critical systems. The move gives the island nation a big security boost (its online defense unit has a mere 90 people) and hopefully reduces the chances that less-than-sympathetic neighbors China and North Korea will compromise a strategically vital country. While it's doubtful that the pact will deter many hacking attempts, it could make any local cyberwarfare campaigns that much tougher. [Image credit: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko]
North Korea's must-have gadget is a $50 media player
In North Korea, the gadget you'd probably want is a Notel. Or a Notetel, a word that attempts to shoehorn notebook and television together, describing a pretty unassuming, very popular, Chinese-made media player. According to estimates from Reuters, up to half of all urban-based North Koreans have a Notel stashed somewhere in the house. Now, until recently, the device was only found on black markets, but the device has now been legalized and is apparently available in state-run shops and markets for just fifty bucks. Image credit: Reuters, Kim Hong-Ji
Hackers broke into Sony Pictures using an unpatched security hole
Whether or not you believe that North Korea hacked Sony Pictures, one thing is becoming apparent: whoever's responsible knew what they were doing. Sources for Recode understand that the perpetrators took advantage of a zero-day exploit, or a software security hole that hadn't been patched yet. The details of just what this attack involved are still under close guard, but it suggests that Sony had no surefire way to protect itself. Also, it hints that the culprits had a lot of skill, a lot of money or both. Zero-day vulnerabilities are usually difficult to find and fetch a high price on the black market (typically between $5,000 to $250,000), so the attackers must have really wanted in.
Hackers wreck a game making fun of North Korea's leader
Clearly, hackers who sympathize with North Korea don't have a great sense of humor. Weeks after Sony briefly cancelled The Interview, Moneyhorse Games has frozen work on its Kim Jong-un parody shooter Glorious Leader. The studio says that hackers destroyed game data and locked the company out of its computers, making it tough to both continue work on the dictator-inspired side-scroller and maintain a crowdfunding drive for the title. The funding goals weren't likely to be met as-is, for that matter. This isn't the first time Moneyhorse has faced an attack, but it's serious enough that the company is "reevaluating" its willingness to go forward with a game that has dealt with multiple threats.
President Obama orders stricter sanctions on North Korea after Sony hack
According to a press release that just hit the Treasury Department's website, President Barack Obama has issued an executive order that calls for even more restrictive sanctions on North Korea for its role in the massive hack attack on Sony Pictures late last year. In his words, the new financial clampdown is because of North Korea's "destructive, coercive cyber-related actions during November and December." "Today's actions are driven by our commitment to hold North Korea accountable for its destructive and destabilizing conduct," Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said in a statement. "Even as the FBI continues its investigation into the cyber-attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment, these steps underscore that we will employ a broad set of tools to defend U.S. businesses and citizens, and to respond to attempts to undermine our values or threaten the national security of the United States."
DVDs of 'The Interview' will be airdropped on North Korea
Sony's once-forbidden The Interview is now seemingly ubiquitous, but there's one place where you can't get it: North Korea, the country that inspired the movie (and allegedly, the hacking campaign) in the first place. If defector and activist Park Sang-hak has his way, though, North Koreans will see that movie whether or not their government approves. Park plans to use balloons to airdrop 100,000 copies of the comedy (both on DVD and USB drives) in the country starting in late January. In theory, North Koreans will have second thoughts about Kim Jong-un's rule once they see him as less than perfect -- and if you've seen the movie, you know how eagerly it knocks Kim off his pedestal.
FBI maintains that North Korea hacked Sony as detractors mount
Did North Korea's government hack Sony Pictures? Though the United States government and FBI say yes, a growing chorus of detractors is pushing back on that claim. And the FBI is apparently listening: one firm, Norse, met with the FBI this past Monday to present its own claim that a group of six people were responsible. Moreover, at least one of those six is said to be an ex-Sony employee, reports Politico. Norse says its been looking into the attack on Sony Pictures since before Thanksgiving, and it presented the results of that research to the FBI yesterday. For its part, the FBI is sticking to its story -- at least for now. "The FBI has concluded the Government of North Korea is responsible for the theft and destruction of data on the network of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Attribution to North Korea is based on intelligence from the FBI, the U.S. intelligence community, DHS [Department of Homeland Security], foreign partners and the private sector," an FBI statement provided to media reads.
'The Interview' and the aftermath
After a very public admonition by President Barack Obama, Sony Pictures released The Interview to Google Play, YouTube, the PlayStation and Xbox stores and now iTunes, to say nothing of over 300 independent theaters across the United States in time for Christmas. Despite the risks and the technical challenges involved, Sony did it. It made good on its word. Now that we're past the big holiday weekend, though, let's take a moment to step back and look at The Interview's aftermath as it stands.
'The Interview' is already Sony's most popular online movie to date
There was a ton of hoopla about Sony releasing The Interview through internet services before it even hit theaters, but how much did this not-entirely-intentional experiment in online distribution pan out? Quite well, if you ask Sony. It just revealed that the movie racked up $15 million in digital rentals and sales (spread across 2 million customers) between its Wednesday release and Saturday, making the North Korea-themed comedy the studio's "#1 online film of all time" within a matter of days. The company isn't breaking down numbers by service, but Recode's sources claim that the "vast majority" of business came from Google Play and YouTube. Sorry, Xbox Video.
Better late than never, iTunes is offering 'The Interview'
iTunes was conspicuously absent from the list of internet services defying hacker threats by offering The Interview, but Apple is remedying that situation today. As of 1PM Eastern, Americans and Canadians can buy or rent the movie from iTunes; you won't have to bend over backwards (or at least, download an app) to watch the hyped-up comedy on your Apple TV or iPad. Netflix still isn't an option, but it won't be surprising if Sony wants to wring out as much profit as it can from purchases and rentals before going the subscription route.
After the hype: here's what the internet thinks of 'The Interview'
So you resisted the pressure to watch The Interview the second it became available, and you're not willing to rely on one review to decide whether it's really worth a download or theater trip just to stick it to hackers. No worries -- we've rounded up some of the more prominent reviews to give you a sense of whether or not the North Korean adventures of Franco and Rogen are any good. You may already have a sense of how well this over-the-top comedy fares, but don't be too quick to judge. You might find a few reasons to shell out some cash (or at least wait for that rumored Netflix release) to see The Interview, even if it's far from a cinematic masterpiece.
'The Interview' internet release comes to YouTube, Google Play and Xbox
Sure, Sony may be defying hackers' threats by letting independent theaters screen The Interview, but you might not live close enough to watch the flick. What if you want to see it online? You might get that chance. Sources for both CNN and Recode claim that Google has "tentatively agreed" to distribute the movie online in rental form, both through Play Movies and YouTube; Sony would also stream the movie through its own website. There's a possibility that the Google deal will fall apart (this happened with iTunes, apparently), since distributors are reportedly worried that they'll face retaliatory hacks. If an agreement comes together, though, it would represent an important milestone -- it's not often that you see a major studio movie launch both online and in theaters at the same time. We've reached out to Google for details, and we'll let you know if there's anything official. Update: Yep, it's happening. Sony will make the comedy available through a special page, Google Play, YouTube and Xbox Video starting today at 1PM Eastern. It'll cost $6 to rent, or $15 to own. A PlayStation Network release date, meanwhile, is coming "shortly." We're also gathering tweets from early reactions to the movie right here. Update 2: And now The Interview has its first international premiere, as Google Canada just announced the movie is available on its outlets there too.
Sony Pictures: 'The Interview' will be in theaters on Christmas Day
Sony Pictures claimed it couldn't premiere The Interview after major theater chains pulled out due to threats, but independent operators (and the president) have successfully called it out. Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League tweeted that Sony has authorized screenings of the now must-see film, and you can expect to see Christmas Day shows available within the hour. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the Plaza Atlanta theater has also stated it will have showings on Thursday, although Sony Pictures has yet to comment publicly. According to LA Times reporter Joe Bel Bruno Sony Pictures has confirmed the plan, and indie theaters "are lining up" to show North Korea's least-favorite movie while CEO Michael Lynton is trying to get the widest release possible. Citing anonymous sources, several outlets have reported the plans include a video-on-demand release, and will be announced publicly later today. Update: Sony Pictures has released a statement confirming a "limited theatrical release" on Thursday, but so far has not provided a list of theaters where the movie will be shown, or if any video-on-demand release is a part of the plan. According to Lynton the studio never gave up on releasing the movie, and "we are continuing our efforts to secure more platforms and more theaters so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience." President Barack Obama has chimed in again, with a statement applauding the decision. Now we're faced with the toughest question of all: Did we actually want to see this movie? Update 2: The movie will be released online! At 1PM ET today on YouTube, Xbox and Sony's website. You can get all the details here, but if you prefer the theatrical experience a list of theaters is posted right here.
North Korea is suffering a complete internet outage (update: restored)
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (that's "North Korea" to the common man) has just four networks that connect to the World Wide Web -- and none of them are working today. "The situation now is they are totally offline," Doug Madory, director of internet analysis at Dyn Research told Bloomberg. After a weekend of spotty connections, the country's pipeline to the outside world reportedly went down this morning. "This isn't normal for them," Madory said. "Usually they are up solid. It is kind of out of the ordinary. This is not like anything I've seen before." Update: According to a tweet by Dyn Research, North Korea's internet service has been restored after a nine-hour, 31-minute outage.
Obama doesn't believe the Sony hack was an act of war
If you were worried that the US government would see the Sony Pictures hack as grievous enough to prompt a larger conflict with North Korea, you can relax. President Obama tells CNN that he doesn't see the digital assault as an "act of war" -- it was a serious instance of "cybervandalism," but that's it. He still isn't giving any clues as to what the previously mentioned proportional response will be, but the remarks suggest that it won't involve an especially damaging retaliatory hack or any real-world weaponry. If leaks are correct, the White House may be more interested in stopping future attacks by North Korea than launching one of its own. [Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images]
The future of VR, how the NFL uses the Surface Pro 2 and other stories you might've missed this week
It's been a busy week, folks: We spoke with Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson about how the NFL uses the Surface Pro 2, interviewed RuPaul about "gaymers," learned that North Korea was the source of the Sony Pictures hack, and more. So sit back, relax and click on the gallery below. You know you want to.
The US wants China's help blocking North Korean hackers
Apparently, the US is willing to recruit any ally it can get in its digital battles -- including countries that are frequently its adversaries. Sources for both the Associated Press and the New York Times claim that American officials have asked China to implement a block that would "cripple" North Korea's ability to launch cyberattacks like the one that hobbled Sony Pictures. Unfortunately, this request may be more than a little optimistic. China reportedly agrees that the attacks aren't cool, but it hasn't promised help. It doesn't exactly have much of an incentive to lend a hand when it's frequently engaged in cyberwarfare with the US.
North Korea denies attacking Sony, offers to help investigate (updated)
North Korea has ratcheted the absurdity level of the Sony hack up a notch by pleading its innocence again and even offering to help find the real perpetrators. The FBI recently blamed North Korea for the attack that forced Sony Pictures Entertainment to cancel The Interview starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. The nation is so anxious to "help" that it warned the US of "grave consequences" if it doesn't undertake a joint probe. While still denying culpability, North Korea's propaganda arm KCNA nevertheless went on in great detail about how the Interview "defamed its dignity," and said it would retaliate if the US refuses to work with it (judging by the rough translation).
Sony Pictures CEO claims 'we have not caved'
While President Obama has joined the voices criticizing Sony Pictures for its decision to pull The Interview, its CEO claims he " In an interview with CNN set to air tonight during Anderson Cooper 360, Michael Lynton tells Fareed Zakaria that "We have not caved. We have not given in." In the pieces CNN has teased, he even says the company would still like for people to see this movie. Lynton claims that he personally did speak to senior officials in the White House about the situation, and asked for help in dealing with it, although they did not speak with Obama directly. Specifically, Lynton said that while the December 25th release will not proceed because there is no movie theater in America that will show it, there is still a possibility of premiering it in the future. In response to the question about releasing the movie in another format like streaming or on cable, Lynton said "we have considered those, and we are considering them...there has not been one major distributor, one major e-commerce site that has stepped forward." Really? Not even Crackle? [Image credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images]
