US must improve defenses, cyberattack response -Pentagon nominee

WASHINGTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. government must improve its ability to defend against and respond to escalating cyberattacks on its computer networks, President Barack Obama's nominee for defense secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday.

Carter said the U.S. responses to cyberattacks could include actions in cyberspace or using other means.

Obama last year blamed a cyberattack on Sony Pictures on North Korea and imposed new sanctions to cut the country's remaining links to the international financial system. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Lisa Lambert; Editing by James Dalgleish)