Sony Hackers Threaten ’USPER2’ News Organization, Says New FBI Bulletin

There’s an FBI report that was uploaded to the Intercept on December 31 that shows not only were the Sony hackers threatening Sony, but they also issued threats against a news organization only named as “USPER2” in the FBI bulletin. Titled “November 2014 Cyber Intrusion on USPER1 and Related Threats,” the PDF file of the FBI Joint Intelligence Bulletin is dated December 24, and the fact that the FBI document reads as unclassified, for official use only, makes one wonder how the FBI document was obtained for public dissemination.

Nevertheless, the opening paragraph’s reference to a news media organization only known as USPER2 has websites like TechCrunch speculating that USPER2 is CNN.

The Google cache of a message from the Guardians of Peace (GOP) hackers is still live as of this writing, showing the Sony hackers mocking CNN.

“The result of investigation by CNN is so excellent that you might have seen what we were doing with your own eyes. We congratulate you success. CNN is the BEST in the world. You will find the gift for CNN at the following address. Enjoy! P.S. You have 24 hours to give us the Wolf.”

That message from the Sony hackers led to a YouTube video calling folks idiots, however, this newly published FBI bulletin takes on a much more serious tone.

“This Joint Intelligence Bulletin (JIB) is intended to provide information on the late-November 2014 cyber intrusion targeting USPER1 and related threats concerning the planned released of the movie, ‘The Interview.’ Additionally, these threats have extended to USPER2 — a news media organization — and may extend to other such organizations in the near future. The JIB is intended to support the activities of the FBI and DHS to assist federal, state and local government cyber, counterterrorism, and law enforcement officials, first responders, and private sector security partners in effectively deterring, preventing, preempting, or responding to cyber and terrorist attacks again the United States.”

While the FBI points to a Pastebin message that taunted USPER2 for the quality of their investigations, the FBI does say the GOP hacker made an implied additional threat, although no specific outcome was published in the Pastebin threat.

Although Sony initially pulled The Interview movie from theaters due to the hackers threats, the movie was eventually released in a limited number of theaters and online, where it was downloaded or rented more than two million times on the web, reported the Inquisitr.

[Image credit: FBI Bulletin]