Content by Mathew J. Schwartz

Sony: Controversial Film Breaks Record

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 29, 2014

North Korea criticizes President Obama for backing the release of a comedy about the assassination of its leader, denies ordering the hacking of Sony Pictures and blames the U.S. for its Internet and mobile network outages.

Sony: Attribution Debate Rages

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 26, 2014

While the FBI may have attributed the hack attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment to North Korea, many information security experts remain unconvinced, based on the evidence that's been released to date.

Sony's 7 Breach Response Mistakes

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 23, 2014

The response by Sony Pictures Entertainment executives to the hack attack against their company provides a number of great examples for how to not to handle a data breach. Here are 7 key mistakes they made.

Sony Hack Breaks 'Nation-State' Mold

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 23, 2014

While the FBI blames North Korea for the hack attack against Sony Pictures, security expert Carl Herberger says the attack differs from previous nation-state attacks. Learn how organizations must shift defenses.

Sony: N. Korea Warns of 'Consequences'

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 22, 2014

North Korea not only denies the Obama administration's allegations that it hacked Sony Pictures Entertainment, but promises "grave consequences" if the U.S. fails to agree to a joint probe of the breach.

FBI Attributes Sony Hack to North Korea

Eric Chabrow , Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 19, 2014

The FBI says it has traced the hack attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment to North Korea, and President Obama says that the United States will respond proportionately to the cyber-attack.

Sony Hack a 'National Security Matter'

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 19, 2014

The White House says that it's treating the hack attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment as a "national security matter." But it says it's too early in its investigation to definitively attribute the attacks to any particular group or nation.

Sony Hack: Is North Korea Really to Blame?

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 18, 2014

Don't take at face value the report that the U.S. government believes that North Korea hacked Sony Pictures Entertainment, numerous information security experts say, warning that hacktivists, insiders or other nations could be the culprits.

Sony Hackers Threaten Movie Theaters

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 17, 2014

Hackers issued a "terror" threat against movie theaters that show the forthcoming Sony comedy "The Interview," but the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sees "no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot."

Sony Breach Response: Legal Threats

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 15, 2014

Three weeks after attackers launched a wiper malware attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment and began leaking stolen data, Sony has threatened legal action against media outlets that publish related information.

Experts Question Sony Hack-Back Story

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 11, 2014

Information security experts are questioning the accuracy of a news report that claims Sony Pictures Entertainment is attempting DDoS attacks to disrupt sites that are providing copies of stolen Sony data.

Has Red October APT Gang Resurfaced?

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 11, 2014

The so-called Red October APT gang may have emerged from hiding. Two research firms report finding advanced attacks that target firms across the financial, oil and engineering sectors, as well as government embassies, primarily in Eastern Europe.

Researcher Claims Destover Malware Hoax

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 10, 2014

A new version of the Destover malware includes a legitimate certificate from Sony. But a researcher claims it's a hoax. Meanwhile, new evidence emerges that the hackers who attacked Sony Pictures Entertainment had criminal - not nation-state - intentions.

'POODLE' Returns to Bite Businesses

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 10, 2014

Security experts are sounding warnings that a flaw known as POODLE, revealed Oct. 14, can now be used to decrypt some Internet communications secured using TLS. Vendors have begun describing workarounds and issuing patches.

'Wiper' Attacks: How Sony Hack Compares

Mathew J. Schwartz  •  December 9, 2014

The "wiper" malware attack against Sony Pictures Entertainment has numerous commonalities with previous wiper attacks in Saudi Arabia and South Korea. This infographic summarizes the attacks and highlights their similarities.