The FBI is warning that the cyber terrorists who hacked into Sony Pictures and disrupted Hollywood are now threatening the American news media.
A Joint Intelligence Bulletin issued by the FBI and Homeland Security alerted U.S. security agencies to threats against an unnamed news organization, adding that the hackers are likely to target other journalists in the "near future," according to the web site,
The Intercept, which first reported Wednesday on the unclassified alert issued Dec. 24.
The Bulletin refers to Sony Pictures as USPER 1, an acronym for "U.S. person," and the news organization as USPER 2.
Another web site,
PCmag.com, speculated Wednesday that the unnamed news organization might be CNN.
The FBI and Homeland Security said the "cyber intrusion" against Sony Pictures over the movie "The Interview" has "extended" to a "news media organization … and may extend to other such organizations in the near future."
A hacker group called the Guardians of Peace claimed credit for hacking into Sony Pictures. The FBI blamed the attack on North Korea because the film depicted a fictional assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un.
"On 20 December, the (Guardians of Peace) posted Pastebin messages that specifically taunted the FBI and USPER2 for the ‘quality’ of their investigations and implied an additional threat. No specific consequence was mentioned in the posting," the bulletin said, referring to a web tool that allows computer users to post anonymous messages on the internet.
The attack on Sony Pictures "indicates the increasing willingness of malicious cyber actors to conduct offensive cyber operations against U.S. entities based on perceived injustices of provocations," the bulletin added.
"Though we have seen a wide variety and increasing number of cyber intrusions, the destructive nature of this attack — coupled with its coercive nature — sets it apart."
Sony initially withheld the scheduled Christmas Day release of the film, but later, under pressure from President Obama and ridicule from critics, distributed the movie through more than 300 independent theaters and through online distribution sources.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.