Post edited 9:06 pm – 04/28/2011 by Doc-B
So after a few days of speculation and rumors, Sony have finally put out some official new on the PSN outage in the form of an e-mail, mailed to the 70million+ people effect by the lock-down of PSN… I'm sure you've all been keeping tabs on this, I read an official Sony Q&A regarding the outage on the ShopTo.Net today (http://www.shoptonews.net/2011…..outage-qa/) and it's been all over the Internet and T.v. for the last few days… My mum even asked me about it on Monday
But I recieved my e-mail tonight… As i'm sure many others have also. But for those who haven't, and have been living in a cave for the last week here's what it says -
Valued PlayStation Network/Qriocity Customer:
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. In response to this intrusion, we have:
- Temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services;
- Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened; and
- Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by re-building our system to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.
We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill as we do whatever it takes to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently as practicable.
Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state/province, zip or postal code), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. 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. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. While there is no evidence that credit card data was taken at this time, we cannot rule out the possibility. 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 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 will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security, tax identification or similar number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking. When the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Network or Qriocity user name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them, as well.
To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant to review your account statements and to monitor your credit or similar types of reports.
We thank you for your patience as we complete our investigation of this incident, and we regret any inconvenience. Our teams are working around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible. Sony takes information protection very seriously and will continue to work to ensure that additional measures are taken to protect personally identifiable information. Providing quality and secure entertainment services to our customers is our utmost priority. Please contact us at http://www.eu.playstation.com/psnoutage should you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Sony Network Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment Teams
Sony Network Entertainment Europe Limited (formerly known as PlayStation Network Europe Limited) is a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited the data controller for PlayStation Network/Qriocity personal data
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Now while I'm not as bothered about this as some, the fact that something like this could happen is pretty shocking?? I know nothing is 'hack proof' and the 'this is what they do'[hackers] kinda thing, but I would have imagined that a company as big as Sony would have some pretty decent security protection on any information stored by their systems??
Communication has never been a strong point with Sony IMO… I understand they had to shut PSN down instantly… The fact they had to wait 4 days for an investigation to take place to fully understand the depth and seriousness of the problem… But what i don't understand is the way the consumers are left to the wind with regards to official press releases?
Why not just release a world wide official press release from HQ that said – PSN has been suspended on suspicion of an external problem, we are currently investigating and will continue to update you as we try to resolve the problem. Rather than let the 'rumor-mill' go into overdrive and avoid some of the rather OTT reactions I've read on some of the forums… Along with the news who love nothing more than to print a good 'scare story'.
Sending a letter 7 days later after some pretty lackluster info so far, only to confirm what everyone already suspects is pretty poor IMO.
The fact that some games have DRM, mostly all PSN games, and i can't sync my trophies or play online MP is annoying, having my identity sold to some mexican and my cards 'cloned' is a bit of a headache… for the whole of 3-5 days it takes me to get a new card.
This will cost Sony a lot of money – A 'rebuild' and a ton of 15 year olds who've had a hissy fit and banished Sony and Ps3 because of a small bump on a rather smooth road? I'm kinda looking forward to seeing if there really is any improvement with PSN when it comes back online, cross-game chat would be sweet… But i've said that many, many times before.
Reputaion has taken a beating also? This must be embarresing for sony to say the least… But the Pentagon got 'hacked' by some dude just trying to find out about UFO's a few month back so… Know what i mean?
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But I've also read this – http://www.shoptonews.net/2011…..n-rebuild/
And this – http://www.shoptonews.net/2011…..n-new-psn/
Would you really need to 'rebuild' a whole server system and completely overhaul if someone had 'hacked' into the system and stolen important data? I'm no tech expert but wouldn't you just fix it and get better security??
It seems rather handy that someone has 'hacked' the system for Sony to shut it down for 7+ days… Only for it to come back better than ever with features people have been screaming for since the Ps3 was launched… I believe PSN could have been hacked because of lawsuits and whatnot, but i can also believe Sony have overplayed the whole situation to their advantage. Because they know they need to sort out an online service that seems second rate… IMO.
And to try and beat the hackers again, i hear of new 'hack-proof' PS3 units – http://ps3.dashhacks.com/2011/…..ech-3001ab - So lets see what the next few days/weeks hold??
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Not that I'm a sceptic as to what Sony are officially saying that is 
Forums
Every-one's looking for you now – 
I personally think this so called 'welcome back' package is a bit of an underhand gesture… And the one thing that will def. p!ss me off, and i will have a fit about this if it happens, is if Sony don't make good with the 'adding user requested features' when PSN is 'fully restored'
Or decide to add them to PS+ and want me to pay… That would upset me a fair bit
