Users trying to connect to the PlayStation Network are met with an error message

 

PlayStation data theft hits 70m gamers

 

Sony has warned users of its PlayStation Network that their personal information, including credit card details, may have been stolen. The company said that the data might have fallen into the hands of an "unauthorised person" following a hacking attack on its online service.

 

Access to the network was suspended last Wednesday, but Sony has only now revealed details of what happened. Users are being warned to look out for attempted telephone and e-mail scams.

 

In a statement posted on the official PlayStation blog, Nick Caplin, the company's head of communications for Europe, said: "We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network".

 

The blog posting lists the personal information that Sony believes has been taken.

 

Name

Address (city, state/province, zip or postal code)

Country

E-mail address

Date of birth

PlayStation Network/Qriocity passwords and login

Handle/PSN online ID

 

Mr Caplin added: "It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained.

 

"For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information."

 

Sony admitted that credit card information, used to purchase games, films and music, may also have been stolen. "While there is no evidence that credit card data was taken at this time, we cannot rule out the possibility," Mr Caplin said.

 

"If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, to be on the safe side we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may also have been obtained."

 

Sony has not given any indication of how many PlayStation Network users may have had their information taken, but the service has around 70 million members worldwide. The theft of so much detailed customer data would be seen as a "public relations disaster", according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at security firm Sophos.

 

"This is a big one," he told BBC News. "The PlayStation Network is a real consumer product. It is in lots of homes all over the world. The impact of this could be much greater than your typical internet hack."

 

Mr Cluley warned that, even without credit card details, the information taken was enough to help criminals carry out further attacks on other services. "Some people will use the same passwords on other sites. If I was a hacker right now, I would be taking those e-mail addresses and trying those passwords," he said.

 

PlayStation users got their first indication that something was wrong with the service when it became unavailable on Wednesday 20 April. In the following days, Sony issued three brief statements asking users to be patient while it investigated an "external intrusion", or hack. However, the fact that it took almost seven days for the company to reveal that data had been taken has angered some gamers. Commenting on the Sony blog, Tacotaskforce wrote: "You waited a week to tell us our personal information was compromised? That should have been said last Thursday."

 

Another user Sid4peeps wrote: "This update is about 6 days late. I think it is time to move to the other network, no regard for customers here."

 

But some PlayStation users appeared to be happy with Sony's handling of the matter. Ejsponge61 commented: "Wow, this is alot of info. Thanks, this is very much appreciated by all of us PlayStation fans."

 

The Sony PlayStation Network remains unavailable to users. The company has not said when service will be restored.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13192359

Heard about that on the radio today. :wtf:

77m now

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13192359

Something tells me that half of those 77m mancave-dwelling dudes don't care. They haven't yet recovered from the withdrawal convulsions they are suffering from the network being down for so many days.

Something tells me that half of those 77m mancave-dwelling dudes don't care. They haven't yet recovered from the withdrawal convulsions they are suffering from the network being down for so many days.

 

I've checked my account, and thus far, all is fine. Some aren't, unfortunately. 'Tis crazy, this is.

Something tells me that half of those 77m mancave-dwelling dudes don't care. They haven't yet recovered from the withdrawal convulsions they are suffering from the network being down for so many days.

only half? :p

this sucks. my stuff is fine as far as i know.

only half? :p

Good point. :lol:

 

My husband recently got a game or two and he is just playing single-player right now and is fine with that; but he admitted that if he didn't have those, he'd probably being going nuts by now.

Sony to resume some PlayStation gaming services

 

 

Sony to resume some PlayStation gaming services

 

Sony has said it will resume some services on its PlayStation Network, which was shut after the theft of personal details of about 77m users.

 

Sony officials said they had boosted the security of their computer systems after user names, email addresses and log-in details were stolen.

 

Executives, including Kazuo Hirai, the head of Sony's PlayStation unit, apologised for the security breach. The theft has prompted legal action and investigations in the US and Europe.

 

"The organisation has worked around the clock to bring these services back on line and are doing so only after we had verified increased levels of security across our networks," said Mr Hirai in a statement.

 

He is seen as the frontrunner to take over as head of Sony Corp. Later, at a news conference, Mr Hirai and two other Sony executives apologised and bowed deeply.

 

"We apologise deeply for causing great unease and trouble to our users," he said.

 

PlayStation users got their first indication that something was wrong with the service when it became unavailable on 20 April. In the following days, Sony issued three brief statements asking users to be patient while it investigated an "external intrusion", or hack.

 

The full extent of the security breach became apparent on 27 April. In a statement posted on the official PlayStation blog, the company said user account information for the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services had been compromised following an "illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network".

 

Sony said that although credit card data was encrypted and there was no evidence it was stolen, the theft of the data could not be ruled out.

 

The PlayStation network allows gamers to download software and play with other users.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13251955

The trick is to use fake information for services like those, and if you want to buy something use a pre-paid card or gift-cards, so the hackers can't go on a massive spending spree.

Good job I've got an Xbox 360 really then:P.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue1u_0ETrRw]YouTube - Im fighting PlayStation Network hacker(My PS3 is down)Sony Execs Apologize for Security Breach.[/ame]