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US Says North Korea 'Directly Responsible' For WannaCry Ransomware Attack (npr.org)

Posted by msmash on from the pointing-fingers dept.

The White House has publicly blamed North Korea for a ransomware attack in May that locked more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries. From a report: In an opinion piece published in The Wall Street Journal on Monday, Homeland security adviser Tom Bossert writes that after careful investigation, Washington can say that Pyongyang is "directly responsible" for the WannaCry virus. Bossert called the attack in which victims received ransom demands to unlock their computers "cowardly, costly and careless." "The consequences and repercussions of WannaCry were beyond economic," he wrote. "The malicious software hit computers in the U.K.'s health-care sector particularly hard, compromising systems that perform critical work. These disruptions put lives at risk." More details here.

31 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. Kim's securing Bitcoin to subvert embargoes by rmdingler · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Makes perfect sense, after it was recently reported the fearless leader was accumulating the crypto-currency...

    On the other hand, demonizing a political opponent is a sensible Machiavellian move.

    --
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    1. Re:Kim's securing Bitcoin to subvert embargoes by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Where have you been the past year to think that "sensible" has anything to do with the current administration?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:Kim's securing Bitcoin to subvert embargoes by bobbied · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Makes perfect sense, after it was recently reported the fearless leader was accumulating the crypto-currency...

      On the other hand, demonizing a political opponent is a sensible Machiavellian move.

      There's nothing sensible about poking the North Korean bear.

      That depends on why you are poking at it. If it's getting out of it's cage because the door is unlocked, it might be a good idea to poke a bit until the door can get locked.

      In the case of poking at DPRK, it must be understood that this bear is actively perusing weapons of mass destruction and the means to use them on the US mainland. Their propaganda is clearly threatening the USA and it's allies. They have, or will soon have the means to attack the USA mainland and are saying they will.

      So the problem here is that nobody can guarantee that DPRK won't do what they are threatening. We used to be able to just laugh it off because we KNEW they didn't have the means. Now they apparently have developed the means and continue to threaten to use it.

      What would you do? It's one thing for some obviously unarmed guy on the street to yell at law enforcement that he's going to shoot and kill them but quite another when an armed guy does the same thing. One gets arrested, the other gets shot.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    3. Re:Kim's securing Bitcoin to subvert embargoes by phantomfive · · Score: 3, Insightful

      US intelligence agencies are known to lie. They've lied since they were created. Never was there a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. After Iraq, you would expect people to know it, but it is worth repeating: "Do not trust the FBI/CIA/NSA. Look at the evidence and evaluate it for yourself."

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    4. Re:Kim's securing Bitcoin to subvert embargoes by MindspanConsultants · · Score: 2

      This post couldn't be more American if it tried.

  2. I would like to believe that. by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    However, the White House isn't a trustworthy source.
    With a president with record low approval ratings, trying to make a bad enemy for us to unite against, does make political sense.

    While there are some other groups involved, so it may be actual, but in this day in age Citing the White House is like Citing a You Tube comment.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re:I would like to believe that. by ne7minder · · Score: 5, Insightful

      And therein lies the problem with electing a known lying conman POTUS.

    2. Re:I would like to believe that. by Baron_Yam · · Score: 4, Insightful

      >in this day in age Citing the White House is like Citing a You Tube comment.

      Considering Trump spewed Birther conspiracies prior to being POTUS and more or less his first official act in office was to have Spicer deliver bald-faced lies about crowd sizes... yeah.

      I'm continually surprised that the press even bothers to attend White House press briefings, since there's nothing newsworthy about reporting the lies any longer (which is sad in and of itself). Any real reporting would require sources from outside that room.

    3. Re:I would like to believe that. by Bite+The+Pillow · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Multiple groups have pointed to NoKo including Microsoft.

      The only change here is USA publicly stating that they accept this as the official line.

      Do you get your news from anywhere else?

    4. Re: I would like to believe that. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      And therein lies the problem with electing a known lying conman POTUS.

      We've been doing it for decades. Why stop now?

    5. Re:I would like to believe that. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

      Yeah, I only believe unsubstantiated rumors when they are anti-Trump because anything negative said about Trump is automatically true.

      When the White House cites facts produced by the exact same intelligence agencies that allegedly uncovered his TREASON WITH PUTIN then I clearly can't trust those intelligence agencies unless they say something that's anti-Trump. That goes double when Trump cites statements made by the intelligence agencies before he was even elected.

    6. Re:I would like to believe that. by houghi · · Score: 4, Interesting

      We are living in strange times when we call The White House "Not trustworthy".

      I think I am going to re-read Snow Crash again, but this time more for the social enviroment.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    7. Re:I would like to believe that. by bobbied · · Score: 2

      With a president with record low approval ratings.

      And why do you suppose his ratings are so bad?

      Where I'm not going to claim that Trump hasn't contributed to his approval ratings, I am going to point out that a lot of this is a product of a lot of negative press coverage, much of which doesn't seem to be warranted when you look back on it.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    8. Re:I would like to believe that. by bobbied · · Score: 4, Insightful

      >in this day in age Citing the White House is like Citing a You Tube comment.

      Considering Trump spewed Birther conspiracies prior to being POTUS and more or less his first official act in office was to have Spicer deliver bald-faced lies about crowd sizes... yeah.

      I'm continually surprised that the press even bothers to attend White House press briefings, since there's nothing newsworthy about reporting the lies any longer (which is sad in and of itself). Any real reporting would require sources from outside that room.

      They cannot help themselves... They are cats and Trump is running the red laser pointer around the press room and from his Twitter account.

      Besides.. Actual REPORTING requires that you do investigative WORK and it's easier to get ratings other ways...

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    9. Re:I would like to believe that. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Wasn't Wannacry based on stolen NSA exploits?

      So are they saying that NK stole US cyber weapons, or did they just buy them on the dark web like anyone else can?

      --
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    10. Re:I would like to believe that. by bobbied · · Score: 3, Insightful

      As if he's never been misquoted or inaccurately covered by the press. They've never reported "fake news" (tm) about him? Oh but they have....

      You and the press may not like his style, but that doesn't make it right to just make stuff up or for using anonymous sources which you haven't verified to vilify a guy you don't like. The press has NOT remained impartial here. Sure, Trump pushes their buttons and makes them angry on purpose, but that doesn't give them license to toss their journalistic standards and "get even" with Trump like they obviously choose to do. Journalists should NEVER react to this kind of thing, should never let their personal bias rule their reporting, but they have.

      I'm not excusing Trump's part of this, but it takes two and the press seems to be all to willing, right or wrong, to take on Trump by any means at their disposal, including stooping to immoral and unethical journalistic practices, lying about Trump and either inventing stories or using unreliable sources without accountability. They have given over to profits over truth and getting even over objectivity.

      Both sides have issues here...Not just Trump.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    11. Re:I would like to believe that. by bobbied · · Score: 2

      A wise debater doesn't go on the attack using an argument that can be used on his position. Two wrongs don't make a right and claiming that your side's wrong is somehow more right than the other isn't a winning strategy,

      I get that it's your OPINION that Trump's faults have more weight, but I do not agree that your opinion is correct or that your struggle to justify the continued bashing of our president is valid.

      EVERYBODY needs to grow up and stop with the petty partisan snipping. It takes two, and if the press chose to take the high road, ignore the provocations and refuse to report on them, this would all come to an abrupt halt and Trump would stop responding and all this would go away.

      But, as it stands, the press won't stop it's unfair treatment of Trump... I'm left to ask why? Is it because they cannot help themselves? Maybe, but I think it's more because it makes ratings which sells advertising which makes the huge media companies money.

      So Trump is fighting for his reputation, and the Media is making money bashing him.... Who's more justified?

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  3. Re:An act of war by Baron_Yam · · Score: 4, Interesting

    From a North Korean perspective, they're still at war but in a ceasefire, surrounded by enemies, and under siege. Given that perspective, this is a perfectly legitimate action and not even particularly provocative.

    Now, that perspective comes from a bunch of batshit craziness leading to current circumstances, but with that caveat it's perfectly rational.

  4. North Korea and NSA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    WannaCry is based on EternalBlue which traces back to the NSA so I thing we need to give them credit was well.

    1. Re:North Korea and NSA by sjames · · Score: 5, Informative

      THIS!

      The BSA developed a cyber weapon it never should have had (it primarily targets civilians) and then managed to mis-place it like a kindergartner's mittens and then it fell into an enemy's hands and got used against us. Why is there not a pair of smoking boots where the NSA used to be standing?

  5. I'm skeptical... by mark-t · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When someone says that they have sufficient evidence to give all reasonable cause to believe something, and then don't even bother to say what that evidence actually is, I think there's a sufficient basis to believe that they don't really know what they are talking about, and are only trying to make themselves sound much smarter than they actually are for figuring it out.

    --
    File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    1. Re:I'm skeptical... by jrumney · · Score: 2

      Or they have the evidence, but don't want to reveal what that evidence is until they have finished checking to make sure it can't be traced back to whoever planted it.

  6. Re:So, this is how it ends by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    And an Annoying Orange.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  7. They did something worst! by LordHighExecutioner · · Score: 2

    They are also responsible of about 99% of Slashdot posts.

  8. Trump WAR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Trump is going to try to start a war. That is my prediction anyways. It is a well-known secret that War is good for approval ratings. First Trump will start to build up a threat. NK is doing this bad thing. Iran is doing that bad thing. It doesn't matter who it is. He just needs to scare people. Then he can save them by sending in bombers. And he can use CNN to cover the destruction which everyone loves to watch because it's like good-ole war movie but real life which is even cooler. Most leaders would not deliberately drive the country into a war knowing that there will be a huge cost in life. But I think we all sense that Trump is exactly that guy. He'll say, "we have to be smart ... have to get tough ... can't be weak ...". It's all going to be "tremendous" I'm sure. He would do just about anything to get any kind of affirmation whatsoever. He'll probably declare it in a tweet the cheap son-of-a-b**ch.

    1. Re:Trump WAR by bobbied · · Score: 2, Informative

      Shesh.. So you understand Trump then?

      Look, the issue with NK has been brewing for decades. Their rhetoric has been consistent both internally and externally for decades. They have claimed the US was the aggressor (we where not) and that they won the war (they didn't, it was a stalemate because China put troops into the war). They have since claimed that they will eventually restart the war and this time drive the USA away.

      Until recently, all this was just saber rattling and everybody knew it. NK had a huge standing army and conventional arms coming out their ears which was basically defensive, but everybody knew they had little offensive ability. However, over the last few years this has changed. NK has nuclear weapons and obviously has tested a number of successful devices, the last few may have been boosted (fusion) devices. They are currently testing ICBM delivery systems and have demonstrated the capability to reach the USA mainland a number of times. If they don't already have the ability to toss a nuclear device on an ICBM and hit us, they are obviously close.

      So, we have to now take them seriously. It's like a crazy guy on the street who is obviously unarmed yelling at the cops that he's going to shoot and kill them verses a guy who has a gun doing the same thing. One get's arrested, the other get's shot.

      Trump understands all this and where I don't think he wants war (see is campaign stump speeches about the Iraq war for more information) he seems to understand that kicking the NK can further down the road is folly. Right now he's trying UN sanctions (though the press doesn't talk about this) and working with China and Russia with varying success to make sure the sanctions have teeth. If NK doesn't bend, eventually the military option *might* be used, but it's obviously not the president's first choice.

      So I don't think you are being fair with Trump here. If he was as you say, this whole thing would be over, most of Korea would be a smoking crater and a bunch of people would have died already. If he was just looking for an excuse, Kim has given him multiple chances since he took office. Yet, here we sit, watching the new UN sanctions take hold instead of being in a shooting war.

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  9. Anyone else find it disturbing by rsilvergun · · Score: 2

    that we're seeing more and more stories about how Iran and NK attacked us? We did the same thing to Iraq...

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  10. Not enough bad coverage by sjbe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Where I'm not going to claim that Trump hasn't contributed to his approval ratings, I am going to point out that a lot of this is a product of a lot of negative press coverage, much of which doesn't seem to be warranted when you look back on it.

    Trump hasn't gotten as much negative coverage as he deserves. The press frankly has been WAY too soft on him. The man is a carnival barker given actual power. He tells transparent and ridiculous lies with breathtaking frequency. He completely lacks the competence and dignity that the office of president requires. If you think the negative coverage of Trump isn't warranted I frankly question your sanity and/or integrity.

  11. Re:More than USA? by bobbied · · Score: 2

    Weddings where high value targets are? I suppose, but only when legitimate targets are believed to be present. We don't just bomb any wedding we see out there, just because we like doing that.

    Hospitals? Not usually and in the one case I am aware of, the location of this hospital wasn't known nor was it properly marked and it was being used by forces which would be legitimate targets in any other location.

    Collateral damage is part of waging war and in urban settings it is most regrettable that it happens more often. If the combatants choose to fight in urban environments, that's where the conflict will be. However, if the goal is to prevail in the conflict, sometimes you have to pick the lessor of evils and risk collateral damage. The USA does it's best to prevent civilian damage, but if the other side picks the location we must fight, what choice do we have?

    --
    "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
  12. You can thank the United States by rsilvergun · · Score: 2

    for the DPRK insistence on getting nukes. We pinky swore we wouldn't do anything bad to Saddam and Ghadhafi if they disarmed and look where it got them. We're currently fighting 7 wars (Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Seria Niger, Libya and Somalia) without congressional approval . We're not a nation to be trusted. NK would be fools to disarm now. Thanks to our war mongering they've literally got nothing to lose. We destabilized the entry world so the GOP could win a few elections, and the Dems went along with it because they didn't have the backbone to stand up.

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  13. Re:Fanboi or clueless? by bobbied · · Score: 2, Insightful

    NYT, politifact and Washington post articles? Nope.. You won't accept my Fox News reference for similar reasons...

    How about picking your favorite lie and let's discuss it...

    1. What did he actually say? (Including the context of the statement)

    2. What is the truth of the matter and is this actually provable?

    3. Has anybody corrected the statement, Trump or someone in his administration?

    Remember, a LIE is when you are leading someone to believe something you KNOW is false. It's about what you know to be true and what your intent is.

    So "If you like your plan, you can keep your plan" was a lie, as was "It will save a family of 4 $2,400/year", and "your taxes will not go up to pay for this" because Obama KNEW these where not true, but said them any way to sell the public something. Also "Bengasi was a riot over a video" was a lie told by the administration told to protect votes, full knowing the truth was entirely different, but nobody would be able to prove it until after the election.

    So.. Just so you are not surprised.. If you do happen to find something to complain about here, I'm going to jump into a "are you sure this isn't a double standard" argument... Still care to play this game?

    --
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