Sony in PlayStation apology
Source: Agencies |
May 2, 2011, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SONY executives bowed in apology yesterday for a security breach in the company's PlayStation Network that compromised the personal data of some 77 million accounts on the online service.
"We deeply apologize for the inconvenience we have caused," said Kazuo Hirai, chief of Sony Corp's PlayStation video game unit, who was among the three executives who held their heads low for several seconds at the company's Tokyo headquarters in the traditional style of a Japanese apology.
Hirai said parts of the service would be back this week and that the company would beef up security measures. But he and other executives acknowledged that not enough had been done in security precautions, and promised that the company's network services were under a basic review to prevent a recurrence.
Hirai said the FBI and other authorities had been contacted to start an investigation into what the company called "a criminal cyber attack" on Sony's data center in San Diego, California.
Sony said account information, including names, birth dates, e-mail addresses and log-in information, was compromised for players using its PlayStation Network. Hirai asked all users to change their passwords.
Hirai reiterated what the company said last week - that even though it had no direct evidence the information was even taken, it could not rule out the possibility it had been.
He said data from 10 million credit cards was believed to be involved, and that Sony still did not know whether information was stolen.
Sony has added software monitoring and enhanced data protection and encryption as new security measures, he said.
The company said it would offer "welcome back" freebies such as complimentary downloads and 30 days of free service around the world to show remorse and appreciation.
"I see my work as first making sure Sony can regain the trust from our users," Hirai said.
The network, which serves both the PlayStation video game machines and Sony's Qriocity movie and music services, has been shut down since April 20.
It is a system that links gamers worldwide in live play, and also allows users to upgrade and download games and other content.
Hirai said Sony suspected it was under attack by hackers from April 17.
Sony says that of the 77 million PlayStation Network accounts, about 36 million are in the United States and elsewhere in the Americas, while 32 million are in Europe and 9 million in Asia, mostly in Japan.
Last month, US lawyers filed a lawsuit against Sony on behalf of lead plaintiff Kristopher Johns for negligent protection of personal data and failure to inform players in a timely fashion that their credit card information may have been stolen.
"We deeply apologize for the inconvenience we have caused," said Kazuo Hirai, chief of Sony Corp's PlayStation video game unit, who was among the three executives who held their heads low for several seconds at the company's Tokyo headquarters in the traditional style of a Japanese apology.
Hirai said parts of the service would be back this week and that the company would beef up security measures. But he and other executives acknowledged that not enough had been done in security precautions, and promised that the company's network services were under a basic review to prevent a recurrence.
Hirai said the FBI and other authorities had been contacted to start an investigation into what the company called "a criminal cyber attack" on Sony's data center in San Diego, California.
Sony said account information, including names, birth dates, e-mail addresses and log-in information, was compromised for players using its PlayStation Network. Hirai asked all users to change their passwords.
Hirai reiterated what the company said last week - that even though it had no direct evidence the information was even taken, it could not rule out the possibility it had been.
He said data from 10 million credit cards was believed to be involved, and that Sony still did not know whether information was stolen.
Sony has added software monitoring and enhanced data protection and encryption as new security measures, he said.
The company said it would offer "welcome back" freebies such as complimentary downloads and 30 days of free service around the world to show remorse and appreciation.
"I see my work as first making sure Sony can regain the trust from our users," Hirai said.
The network, which serves both the PlayStation video game machines and Sony's Qriocity movie and music services, has been shut down since April 20.
It is a system that links gamers worldwide in live play, and also allows users to upgrade and download games and other content.
Hirai said Sony suspected it was under attack by hackers from April 17.
Sony says that of the 77 million PlayStation Network accounts, about 36 million are in the United States and elsewhere in the Americas, while 32 million are in Europe and 9 million in Asia, mostly in Japan.
Last month, US lawyers filed a lawsuit against Sony on behalf of lead plaintiff Kristopher Johns for negligent protection of personal data and failure to inform players in a timely fashion that their credit card information may have been stolen.
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