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THE FBI SAYS it knows North Korea was behind the cyberattack on Sony because the IP addresses used in the threats are exclusively North Korean IP addresses.
The agency’s director James Comey said today that North Korea had sought to use proxy servers to conceal the Sony hack but sometimes “got sloppy” and didn’t use the servers.
Speaking at a cybersecurity conference at New York’s Fordham University today, Comey predicted that North Korea would try to strike again.
His comments were echoed by the agency’s Director of National Intelligence James Clapper who said the attacks against will continue American interests unless the United States “pushes back.”
Clapper also revealed that he dined with the North Korean general believed responsible for the hacking during a secret mission to Pyongyang two months ago.
He said on 7 November, the first night of his mission to free two Americans, he dined with General Kim, “in charge of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the RGB, who’s the organisation responsible for overseeing the attack against Sony.”
Clapper did not give the general’s full name but he apparently was referring to General Kim Yong-chol, director of the RGB, also known as Unit 586, one of three North Korean entities sanctioned by the United States in response to the Sony hack.
Clapper called the elaborate, 12-course repast “one of the best Korean meals I’ve ever had” but said the four-star general spent most of the time berating him about American aggression “and what terrible people we were.”
“All the vitriol that he spewed in my direction over dinner was real,” Clapper said.
“They really do believe they are under siege from all directions and painting us as an enemy that is about to invade their country every day is one of the chief propaganda elements that’s held North Korea together.”
He said the pair communicated through a North Korean translator who spoke fluent English “with a British accent, which was kind of strange.”
Kim kept “pointing his finger at my chest and saying the US and South Korean exercise was a provocation to war and of course not being a diplomat, my reaction was to lean back across the table and point my finger at his chest.”
At one point, his assistant suggested Clapper take a “head break” to ease the tension.
At the end, he described presenting Kim with a letter from President Barack Obama, designating Clapper as his envoy and saying that the release of the two US citizens would be viewed as a positive gesture.
He admitted the next day was “kind of nerve-racking” and that he was not sure if they would get the two Americans back or not.
‘Kind of creepy’
At one point an emissary came to say North Korea no longer considered him a presidential envoy and as such could not guarantee his safety.
But in the afternoon, they were taken to a hotel for an “amnesty-granting ceremony” where the two Americans, still in prison garb, were handed over.
Afterward they headed straight to the airport and took off, he said.
“I can’t recall a time when that aircraft with United States of America emblazed across it ever looked as good,” he joked.
Clapper, who spent less than 24 hours in North Korea, said the first thing that struck him on arrival was how dark the city and airport were, and how the plane damaged a tire while taxiing because of poor runway construction.
He said people labored with old-fashioned tools and were eerily going about their business dressed in drab clothes.
“It was kind of creepy about how impassive everyone was. They didn’t show any emotion, didn’t stop to greet each other… I didn’t see anyone conversing or laughing,” he said.
Hackers attacked Sony Pictures in late November and threatened the company over the looming Christmas release of the comedy film “The Interview
“They are deadly, deadly serious, no pun intended, about affronts to the supreme leader, whom they consider to be a deity,” Clapper said.
“I watched ‘The Interview’ over the weekend and it’s obvious to me that North Koreans don’t have a sense of humor.”
Sony said Tuesday that the film has been its best-grossing online film, making more than $31 million on the Internet and other small-screen formats.
© – AFP 2014 with reporting from Associated Press
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Never the same after Frankie left
Went downhill a few years back when Frank ie left but still decent. If Dara is looking for a job then bring back The Panel on RTE.
@Wooden Spoon: Don’t Feed The Gondolas
@Wooden Spoon: would he not give echo island another crack? Will miss mock the week.
That’s a pity. I always enjoyed it. Especially the banter between Dara and Ed Byrne when he was on.
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: I enjoyed the episode where Ed was explaining the phrase “puking your ring” to the other contestants and the audience.
@Ken Loughman: yes! Hilarious
@Gearóid MacEachaidh: There were also the time where everyone made fun of the size of Dara’s head:
Genuinely puzzled about the popularly of that show. It’s really not funny at all.
@John McSweeney: No sense of humour John,simple,need to loosen up,only one go on the merry-go-round,but let me guess u won’t,no body does,sad
@John McSweeney: In your opinion. Anyone that likes comedy should realise it’s not only their opinion that counts. Over 200 episodes speaks for itself.
@John McSweeney: you’re genuinely puzzled by people having different tastes to you?
It’s been on TV for 17 years, what does that tell you?
@John McSweeney: It was funny, it was innovative but like everything else it ran out of steam a long time ago!
@Sean: Or real life outran satire? I’ll miss it, it must be hard on the crew, let’s hope they all go on to fresh fields.
Not a fan of Dara O’Briain myself. So many of these ‘spontaneous’ funny shows seem anything but. They feel rehearsed and forced.
@lelookcoco: you feel rehearsed and forced.
Mock OF the week…….
Great show should’ve ended years ago though.
@John Munch: I agree it was very heavily pre-scripted and the “spontaneous” witty remarks couldn’t have been less spontaneous unless they were reading them off a page in front of them.
@Sean: some unreal adlib comics in here by the sounds of it! Every panel show is rehearsed, and mock the week never claimed to be 100% spontaneous. They often referred to the production meetings/stuff they edited out, during the show.
@A$AP Ragnick: Heard Dara O Briain being interviewed and he was straight up. If I’m looking at the camera, what I’m saying is scripted. If I’m not, it’s not.
Enjoyed it a lot in the earlier years. All good things must come to an end.
Was a great show. Hopefully Channel 4 can take it over. It’s right up their alley. Needs a little bit of a revamp in places, but was always a good watch.
Oh my god that’s desperate news. How am I ever going to sleep again???
Ah jasus lads……that’s terrible.
Good comedy is knowing when the joke is over.
Fawlty Towers and Fr Ted ended with us wanting more. Always a good sign.
I loved Mock the Week in its prime but felt it had outststayed its welcome in the last number of years. But happy memories of Daire, Huw and Frankie (and whenever Stweart Francis or Milton Jones paid a visit)
Terribly sad to hear this news. Can’t understand why it’s finishing. Hope it gets a reboot on an online channel.
Over 200 episodes? Would have expected a lot more over 21 seasons
@Daniel O’Connor: It took breaks here and there so it’s likely that’s all that was made.
I can’t believe this is even news!
I mean, come on, it’s hardly Neighbours!
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