North Korea Behind Sony Hack: U.S. Officials

According to US officials the North Korean government ordered the hacking attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment — a breach that led to the studio cancelling the planned release of "The Interview". One U.S. official told NBC News that the country "can't let this go unanswered." It was one of the biggest loss of SONY!

The officials told the NBC News that the hacking attack originated outside North Korea, but they believe the individuals behind it were acting on orders from the North Koreans.

"We have found a secret linkage to the North Korean government," according to a U.S. government source.

An official said that U.S. is discussing what form a response could take, and couldn't detail what options the government has available.

The security breach embarrassed several high-profile Sony executives and led to the studio cancelling the Dec. 25 release of "The Interview," a comedy starring Seth Rogen and James Franco that depicts a fictional assassination attempt on North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Sony also had a huge amount of financial loss .Amid fallout from the Sony hack, a New Regency film tentatively titled "Pyongyang" and starring Steve Carell "will not be moving forward."

Sony on last Wednesday dropped its plans to release "The Interview" on Christmas Day after some of the country's largest theater chains said they were holding back or dropping the movie following threats of violence made by the same group that claimed it hacked Sony, Guardians for Peace.

"Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business," Sony said this in a statement Wednesday, saying that it reached the decision after the top cinema chains pulled out. Regal, Cinemark, Carmike ,Cineplex and some others were among the chains that said it would not show the film on the planned Dec. 25 premiere, citing security concerns.

The White House National Security Council said in a statement last Wednesday that "the U.S. government is working tirelessly to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice" and expressed support for Sony. "The United States respects artists' and entertainers' right to produce and distribute content of their choosing. … We take very seriously any attempt to threaten or limit artists' freedom of speech or of expression."