US Planning International Cyberattack Response With Aid of Australia, New Zealand, UK

U.S. President Barack Obama plans to organise an international response to cyberattacks, following news of North Korea's alleged hacking of Sony Pictures. The Obama administration will consult with Australia, New Zealand and the UK regarding the matter.

An administration official told Reuters that the U.S. will also seek the assistance of China, Japan, South Korea and Russia. The official said the hacking of Sony has become an opportunity for nations around the world to work together against cyberattacks. Both China and the U.S. have shared a similar view that launching destructive attacks in cyberspace is "outside the norms" of acceptable cyber behaviour, CNN reported.

The Internet traffic of North Korea goes through China, Mr Obama said last week. He declared that there was no indication that North Korea was acting at the same time with another country. Despite accusations that North Korea was behind the Sony Pictures hacking, the country has denied involvement and called it a "righteous deed" carried out by its supporters.

In a report by Fairfax Media, staff in Sony Pictures in Australia has also experienced technology setbacks like their counterparts in the U.S., with email becoming unstable after the alleged cyberattack. Maj Gen Stephen Day, Australia's chief cyber protector, believes attribution is difficult in hacking. According to The Age, he said that about 40 percent of cyberattacks cannot be attributed to anyone. Their purpose is also difficult to determine.

In an earlier report, Day said Australia has one of the most sophisticated equipment and technology for detecting cyberattacks with the best brains in the country working for the Australian Cyber Security Centre in Canberra. However, about 40 percent of those attacks are difficult to determine if they are for espionage or sabotage. Day revealed that there were 900 incidents of cyberattacks against the Australian government and some of the country's biggest corporations.

The cyberattack against Sony Pictures has not deterred the company from giving in to pressure from hacker demands to not release the film The Interview, a comedy movie about a plot to assassinate Kim Jong-un. According to reports, Sony was still considering other ways to distribute the movie. Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton told CNN in an interview that the company is still looking for other ways to distribute the film for release.