Although U.S. officials were quick to blame North Korea for being behind the cyber attack on Sony Pictures, some security analysts say they aren't so sure that the isolated rogue state is the culprit.

Even though North Korea called "The Interview" an act of war, the mysterious #GOP group has only started asking for the film to be banned, originally claiming its cause was focused on "inequality" at Sony.

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Previously, North Korea has used hackers to attack banks and press in South Korea, but these hacks were more identifiable and less corrosive than the Sony Pictures attack. Several security firms are worried about the sophistication of the attack, something North Korean hackers should not be able to pull off.

The malware program used on the Sony Pictures hack is only used by a few state-sponsored groups, and is capable of destroying entire networks. It can also make it impossible to reboot the system without losing all stored data.

Iran, China and Russia are all capable of sending such an attack, and may be have been working with North Korea on it. However, it is unclear why any of the three would help North Korea, or send the attack themselves.

Iran is the most likely candidate out of the three however, considering a unknown state-sponsored hacking group based in Tehran has been attacking various U.S. companies.

The attacks ride under the "Operation Cleaver" banner, stealing information and shutting down systems. It is unclear what the guilty party is looking to gain from the cyber espionage.

Sony Pictures would be different from Iran's usual targets, which tend to be defense contractors, energy companies and government partners.

The #GOP has acted in a very unfamiliar fashion, if the hacking group is state-sponsored. Normally, hackers working for the government prefer the quiet approach, and do not upload or sell the information stolen.

From leaked emails, the #GOP also contacted Sony Pictures before they intended to attack. The email contained no mention of "The Interview" and asked for a paid ransom.

It is likely the hackers are backed by a well-funded organization, but whether it is North Korea is still up for debate.  

Sony Pictures dropped "The Interview" from cinemas, following the #GOP threat of 9/11 scale violence against cinemas showing the film. Various celebrities and officials have spoke out on the issue, claiming the terrorists have won.

TagsNorth Korea, DPRK, U.S., Sony Pictures, Malware, The Interview