(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Sony unsure if credit card info compromised in PSN outage - Report
By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Apr 25, 2011 3:58 pm PT

Corporate spokesperson expresses uncertainty if "external intrusion" behind ongoing PlayStation Network has exposed subscribers' personal information.

As if the fact the ongoing PlayStation Network outage entering its sixth day wasn't bad enough news for Sony, now comes word that the company isn't sure if the service's 75 million subscribers have had their personal information compromised.


PSN users may want to keep an eye on their credit card accounts.
According to a PC World report, Sony spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka said that the company had "not yet determined" if the confidentiality of PSN users' personal or credit card information had been undermined by the "external intrusion" that brought the network down. As of press time, Sony Computer Entertainment reps had not responded to requests for comment on the matter, and the official PlayStation Blog had not offered any updates on the situation regarding PSN users' information.

The cloud of uncertainty over the security of users' information is the latest development in the ongoing PSN outage saga. The crisis began Wednesday evening, when Sony took down the service with little explanation. Two days later, the hacker collective known as Anonymous--which had previously mounted attacks on the PSN--announced it was not sanctioning action against the PlayStation 3 and PSP's online service.

Then, late Friday, Sony revealed an "external intrusion" was behind the PSN outage, and said that it was conducting an investigation into the incident. Then, late Saturday, the company announced it was rebuilding the PSN infrastructure to ensure "additional security" would be added to the network.

i don't know if this was posted yet so here you go

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Update:

Sony confirms personal PSN data compromised, 'some services' back up 'within a week'
By Tom Magrino, Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted Apr 26, 2011 1:23 pm PT
PS3 maker says "unauthorized person" has gained access to identifying information including username and password; credit card data possibly revealed; US Senator expresses dismay.


Sony has entered the seventh day of its PlayStation Network outage, and the situation has turned from bad to worse. Offering an update on the "external intrusion" that gave the Japanese electronics company cause to brings its online service for the PlayStation 3 and PSP offline, Sony has confirmed that personal information has been compromised.


PS3 owners have had their personal information compromised.
"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," a Sony spokesperson confirmed on the company's official blog.

As for what that means to PSN and Qriocity users, Sony said that "an unauthorized person" has gained access to such identifying information as registrants "name, address (city, state, zip), country, e-mail address, birth date, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID." Sony recently told a group of investors that the PSN currently has some 75 million registered users.

According to the publisher, it is also possible that the intruder may have gleaned certain profile data, including "purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers."

Sony also confirmed speculation that credit card data may have been compromised as part of the attack. "While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility," the Sony spokesperson said. "If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained."

Sony is taking a three-pronged approach to addressing the situation. The first, as many gamers have noticed, has been to indefinitely bring down the PSN and Qriocity media service. Sony said that it has also "engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened." Finally, the publisher said that it is currently taking steps to "enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by rebuilding our system."

Sony noted that US PSN and Qriocity users can contact credit-monitoring agencies Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion for a free "fraud alert" that ensures credit agencies will take extra precautionary measures toward identity verification. The publisher notes that this fraud alert may impede the expediency of legitimate credit requests.

Luckily there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, with Sony saying, "We have a clear path to have PlayStation Network and Qriocity systems back online and expect to restore some services within a week."

[UPDATE] Meanwhile, the PSN outage is beginning to draw attention from the highest levels of the US government. In a letter to Sony Computer Entertainment America president and CEO Jack Tretton, US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has called on Sony to offer full disclosure to PSN users if their information was compromised and to offer two years of free access to credit reporting services to check if their credit was adversely affected. "Affected individuals should also be provided with sufficient insurance to protect them from the possible financial consequences of identity theft," Blumenthal said.

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Oh no. This is just a tragedy, an outrage, just despicable.

Bump up for update

who the hell really cares anymore what SONY tells us now....its too late for warnings and apologies.....

....look.... i love my ps3....but sony got totally owned and got their assses handed to them on a silver platter.....

whoever hacked PSN should be hired by sony to fix their own SECURITY problems.....

OBviously the hackers know way more about sony's security than sony does themselves.... its COMICAL.......

AT THE END of the day, I really dont feel bad for sony at all, they deserved the breach...... eventhough it really sux for all of us.......:n00b:

Sony has capitalized unimaginably with the PS3 ALONE, put out the cheapest online service they could because its free... of course there is no backup, almost like the earthquake and nuclear power plant.... wait they did have a backup plan but that didn't ****ing work either...now they got higher radiation levels than Chernobile and most everybody is comprimised. Big buisiness at work.

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hahahaha nice one

Glad i always use fake information everywhere on the internet and never pay with credit on the internet. This is why i dont trust even big companies when buying on the internet, u never know when this can happen. It can happen everywhere nowdays.

Well just waiting for PSN to be online so i can change my passwords and then rape some noobs on CoD.

I was crapping myself about telling my mum this as she would kill me but then I remember that the card I used expired last year , and I used a fake phone number but they might have my address since it was my first account and I didn't know that PSN would be hacked and all my personal info given out:mad:

Arghhh all i see is our information is at risk updates.. when are they going to tell us when psn will be back online.. Getting fkn bored