The Lawfare Podcast, Episode #105: Jack Goldsmith on North Korea, the FBI, and Attribution of the Sony Attack
This week, FBI Director James Comey doubled down on the FBI's assertion that North Korea was behind the cyber attack on Sony Pictures (audio available here).
Out in sunny Palo Alto, Ben and Jack sat down to discuss the director's comments, what we know about the Sony Pictures cyber-attack, the FBI’s response, and the lingering questions about the credibility of the US government’s claim that North Korea was behind the attack.
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This week, FBI Director James Comey doubled down on the FBI's assertion that North Korea was behind the cyber attack on Sony Pictures (audio available here).
Out in sunny Palo Alto, Ben and Jack sat down to discuss the director's comments, what we know about the Sony Pictures cyber-attack, the FBI’s response, and the lingering questions about the credibility of the US government’s claim that North Korea was behind the attack. They explore the tradeoffs inherent in explaining or proving the government's attribution claims, and whether or not the FBI should do so at all if it will “tip its hand” to the hackers planning future attacks. If technical capabilities cannot solve the public trust deficit implicit in the attribution problem, how far should the government go in producing evidence regarding its claims?
Cody Poplin is a student at Yale Law School. Prior to law school, Cody worked at the Brookings Institution and served as an editor of Lawfare. He graduated from the UNC-Chapel Hill in 2012 with degrees in Political Science & Peace, War, and Defense.
