It’s just not getting any better for Sony, is it? Just as everybody was coming to terms with Sony having lost their personal data, news comes in of another hack on Sony’s networks – this time affecting Sony Online Entertainment, the publishing division responsible for maintaining Sony’s numerous MMO’s, like EverQuest, EverQuest II, Free Realms, and DC Universe Online.
SOE’s services have been taken offline as a counter-measure, but it may be too late. 24.6 million Sony Online Entertainment users could have been compromised – and along with them more than 20,000 credit card and bank account numbers. Here’s what Sony had to say :
Our ongoing investigation of illegal intrusions into Sony Online Entertainment systems has discovered that hackers may have obtained personal customer information from SOE systems. We are today advising you that the personal information you provided us in connection with your SOE account may have been stolen in a cyber-attack. Stolen information includes, to the extent you provided it to us, the following: name, address (city, state, zip, country), email address, gender, birthdate, phone number, login name and hashed password.
This is really starting to become embarrassing for Sony. Should they not have bolstered SOE’s security at the first sign of PSN intrusion? In hindsight, I’d say that that would be a great big hell yes. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that it’s likely not Anonymous to blame for these hacks; they’re far too organised. It’s unlikely that this second intrusion, with its unfortunate timing, isn’t connected to PSN’s downtime.
At the time of writing, the PSN is still down – but affected users will be getting a few freebies thrown their way as a gesture of goodwill when the service resumes this week.
Source : Wired
Last Updated: May 3, 2011
