Sony cyber attack traced to Bangkok hotel

[thai tech]

Sony cyber attack traced to Bangkok hotel

BANGKOK:-- According to Bloomberg, the source of the recent cyber attack carried out on Sony has been traced to the St Regis hotel in Bangkok.

Using the 5 star hotel’s high speed internet connect the hackers, who are believed to be working on behalf of North Korea, carried out the hugely embarrassing attack which saw huge amounts of sensitive information leaked about its 47,000 employees.

Read more: http://tech.thaivisa.com/sony-cyber-attack-traced-bangkok-hotel/

-- Tech News by Thaivisa 2014-12-08

[NanLaew]

If ever proof were needed that Thailand is the Hub of Digital Pikery.

[jaltsc]

"According to Bloomberg, the source of the recent cyber attack carried out on Sony has been traced to the St Regis hotel in Bangkok."

Won't be long before we see "Thailand, the hub of cyber attacks".

Edited December 8, 2014 by jaltsc

[rakman]

Shame on Sony for crappy security. Just like when the Playstation network attack happened years ago. You'd think they would have learned from that experience.

[deckape]

Ooops. More grear PR for the new government.

[khwaibah]

Finally. Thailand is Number 1 and a Hub.

[noitom]

Surprising to hear that Thailand, with all its excellent security and intelligence, was the source network for this cyber attack. Thailand is now officially known as the hub of cyber attacks.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed.

[A1Str8]

If the hackers want to show off then they should use their knowledge to do good instead of getting involved in immature things like this.

If they are after money then buy lottery.

Edited December 8, 2014 by A1Str8

[dddave]

Shame on Sony for crappy security. Just like when the Playstation network attack happened years ago. You'd think they would have learned from that experience.

There was a report that Sony had an unencrypted folder marked "PASSWORDS" with all the critical company passwords contained within....

How do you say "Duh..." in Japanese?

[ozterix]

Computer Crime Act

There is a law in Thailand called the Computer Crime Act by which each entity/organisation/individual connected to internet MUST record all meta data of internet traffic with clear details of the identity of the person who was connecting at the time... the metadata includes exact time or connection, IP used, protocol, etc... permitting to identify, not the content but the usage made by the person at the time.

If Saint Regis is compliant, they already know the ID of the people who did it, if the St Regis is not compliant, the fines are quite high... This in my opinion would be the first time in a few years where the CCA might have been useful...

oz

[noitom]

Thailand is a "mecca' of international criminal cyber activity. This cyber attack news is just scratching at the surface.

[kblaze]

more importantly...North Koreans...in the ST REGIS???

dear god no

[eeeya]

Did they have a work permit?

[Stradavarius37]

Good news - Thailand's digital infrastructure is advanced enough to support the IT Needs of this kind of hacking

[rametindallas]

Shame on Sony for crappy security. Just like when the Playstation network attack happened years ago. You'd think they would have learned from that experience.

Obviously not.

Thousands Of Leaked Sony Passwords Were Reportedly Kept In A Folder Marked 'Password'

http://www.businessinsider.com/sony-leak-reveals-thousands-of-passwords-in-obvious-password-folder-2014-12

[rametindallas]

If the hackers want to show off then they should use their knowledge to do good instead of getting involved in immature things like this.

If they are after money then buy lottery.

Sony is in production on a movie about N. Korea leader Kim Jung Un and the hackers, who are from N. Korea, did this in retaliation. They have since made physical threats against Sony execs. These are not freelance hackers, they are N. Korean government employees.

[kmj]

If the hackers want to show off then they should use their knowledge to do good instead of getting involved in immature things like this.

If they are after money then buy lottery.

If reports are correct that it was the N Koreans then the attack was in retaliation against Sony releasing the movie about their leader

Edit - got beat to it...

Edited December 8, 2014 by kmj

[lemonjelly]

"According to Bloomberg, the source of the recent cyber attack carried out on Sony has been traced to the St Regis hotel in Bangkok."

Won't be long before we see "Thailand, the hub of cyber attacks".

or Thai Visa forum, endless hub of inane hub jokes.

[IMA_FARANG]

If ever proof were needed that Thailand is the Hub of Digital Pikery.

-------------------------

Because a cyber hacking attack is traced to a specific location, or a specific computer in a specific location does not necessarily mean the attack came from location.

If a hacker can get control of a computer, it is possible that a hacking attack can be launched from that computer from far away.

The particular computer that the attack is launched from can be controlled form far away through the internet.

[thesetat2013]

Just wait! Tomorrows news will be a new BAN initiated against foreigners logging in to overseas accounts or a new law stating all foreigners will have their internet traffic recorded and reported to the Gov

[NCC1701A]

very easy to get access to hotel wifi network. just ask for the password when you pay cash for a drink in the bar.

then anything is possible. including being parked outside the hotel.

or setup your own wifi network near the hotel called "St Regis hotel lobby" and wait for the first guest to log in using the hotels password. now you have their password and you are in.

make a record of every person using your internet connection? hahahahaha...

gain control over a hotel computer in the business center you have physical access to? easy as pie.

then use it to relay data or launch from another location.

and if this is a nation state, don't be surprised if this leads to another computer network, and another, and another.

or this could be the end of the line.

add your own wifi router to the hotels network for a short while in a hallway or service area? easy.

if it is a nation state, they don't care about MAC addresses, cameras or anything else.

a real hacker uses hardware with clean MAC addresses or spoofs the MAC address.

this really could have been done anywhere, and if North Korea is involved, I think they chose Thailand because the government is computer illiterate here and borders are easy to cross, is near by and the attack would have to be launched outside NK.

it is possible the NSA has this traffic stored in Utah.

Edited December 8, 2014 by NCC1701A

[zzdocxx]

Why does N Korea hate Sony so much as to want to hack it ?

I don't keep up on this stuff too much, is Sony considered to be a bad corporate citizen, or just what is the deal ?

[JAS21]

Look back about seven posts and you will have the answer

[mojorison]

If ever proof were needed that Thailand is the Hub of Digital Pikery.

-------------------------

Because a cyber hacking attack is traced to a specific location, or a specific computer in a specific location does not necessarily mean the attack came from location.

If a hacker can get control of a computer, it is possible that a hacking attack can be launched from that computer from far away.

The particular computer that the attack is launched from can be controlled form far away through the internet.

Yes and no. They could definitively establish the physical address quite easily. It depends on whether remote access is achieved, and reading the packets of data using a wireshark type utility. So they are probably spot on with their assessment.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Just wait! Tomorrows news will be a new BAN initiated against foreigners logging in to overseas accounts or a new law stating all foreigners will have their internet traffic recorded and reported to the Gov

Don't think that would be a new law, the way I understand it everybodies traffic is already required to be logged and stored along with identification of the user, regardless of whether they are Thai or not.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/206147-thailands-internet-law-begins-aug-23-requires-user-tracking/

[Chicog]

If ever proof were needed that Thailand is the Hub of Digital Pikery.

-------------------------

Because a cyber hacking attack is traced to a specific location, or a specific computer in a specific location does not necessarily mean the attack came from location.

If a hacker can get control of a computer, it is possible that a hacking attack can be launched from that computer from far away.

The particular computer that the attack is launched from can be controlled form far away through the internet.

Yes and no. They could definitively establish the physical address quite easily. It depends on whether remote access is achieved, and reading the packets of data using a wireshark type utility. So they are probably spot on with their assessment.

This is Thailand we are talking about. Most likely the hotel's Accounts computer is running XP without a service pack or antivirus, directly connected to the Internet, and has been controlled from overseas for months at least. Any half decent hacker would have wiped any evidence of their presence on that computer straight after copying that "Passwords" directory.

[Thai at Heart]

Ironically, they apparentlt trawl the internet blocking stuff hither and thither. But a major hack can happen on public WiFi.

I guess if the hacker had said something about royalty they would be in the clink by now

[chainarong]

One wounders if the same would happen if 5 Nth Koreans booked into the Hilton London and tried the same trick , I rest my case.

[NCC1701A]

One wounders if the same would happen if 5 Nth Koreans booked into the Hilton London and tried the same trick , I rest my case.

a lot easier for NK agents to get to Bangkok.