Media reports say the U.S. has determined North Korea is behind the hacking of Sony Pictures, which gave in to security concerns and canceled the release of a film about a fictional plot to assassinate Pyongyang's leader, Kim Jong Un.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, U.S. officials said investigators have connected North Korea to the cyberattack. The massive breach has resulted in the leak of tens of thousands of documents and has escalated to threats of terrorist attacks over the film "The Interview."
It is not clear how investigators made the determination or how the White House will respond. The National Security Council said the FBI is leading the investigation and will "provide an update at the appropriate time."
Earlier Wednesday, Sony said it is scrapping the December 25 release of "The Interview," after several major theater chains chose not to show the film. The statement said Sony shared the theaters' safety concerns. It has no current plans to release the film.
A hacker group calling itself Guardians of Peace on Tuesday released a statement promising a "bitter fate" to those who attend showings of "The Interview." In broken English, the brief statement invoked the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S. and warned people to "keep yourself distant" from theaters where the film is playing.