Spurred by the FBI’s assertion that North Korea launched the now notorious cyber attack against Sony Pictures, President Barack Obama last week announced new U.S. sanctions against the country, citing not only “destructive, coercive cyber-related actions,” but also “serious human rights abuses.”
North Korea’s actions represent a “continuing threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States,” Obama stated in an executive order, which tightened restrictions on doing business with or assisting the North Korea government in any capacity, particularly in a financial, material, or technological manner.
“We take seriously North Korea’s attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a U.S. company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression,” said Josh Earnest, White House press secretary, in a statement on the order.
However, North Korea has continued to deny any involvement in the Sony Pictures hacking, according to several published reports. Security firms and experts have also questioned whether the country, which has a significantly less mature cyber framework, would have been able to carry out such a damaging cyber attack.
Erin is the managing editor of Advisen’s Front Page News. She has been covering property-casualty insurance since 2000. Previously, Erin served as editor-in-chief of The Standard, New England’s Insurance Weekly. Erin is based in Boston, Mass. Contact Erin at [email protected].
