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News & ArtsFriday, May 6, 2011
Games Sony Keeps Hoping to Wake Up from PSN Nightmare
Posted by The Stranger Testing Department on Fri, May 6, 2011 at 4:01 PM
It's still happening: Sony's PlayStation Network (PSN) has been down for sixteen days after an absurdly large and successful attack compromised the accounts of 77 million gamers. They've offered a month of free service after it finally returns, plus a year of identity theft insurance coverage, which is foolishly, insultingly stingy. Online play is this generation of console's major primary innovation, so this a very big deal for Sony. It's an existential threat to their lucrative gaming division, if not to the business as a whole, and they should be groveling hard.
It's still unclear who did it—though the hackers planted a file with the name and catch-phrase of the Anonymous collective, the group quickly denied responsibility for this attack (though not for other, much smaller attacks vs. Sony). Also unclear: how many accounts were compromised, whether or not encrypted credit card info was taken, how the hackers managed to pull it off, and how long it will take Sony to rebuild the PSN to defend against similar attacks in the future.
Microsoft could play hardball and promote the shit out of Xbox Live for the vast numbers of angry, single-console PSN users, but either they've taken pity on Sony's gentle, bumbling giant—or they've got their own problems with flexibility and reaction speed.
The Stranger Testing Department is Rob Lightner and Paul Hughes.
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I would be willing to trade mine straight across for a new in the box PS3 slim.
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so i dont have to look, is there anyone who has a basic technical understanding of what the hack entailed and what was insecure about their system?
Also BB says certain Anon members are claiming responsibility for the attack http://www.boingboing.net/2011/05/06/mem…
That's been heard quite a bit around Sony for the past few weeks. ZIng! Actually, this comes from Sony Chairman Kazuo Hirai's letter to Congress a couple of days ago:
Have you identified how the breach occurred?
Yes, we believe so. Sony Network Entertainment America is continuing its investigation into this criminal intrusion, and more detailed information could be discovered during this process. We are reluctant to make full details publicly available because the information is the subject of an on-going criminal investigation and also the information could be used to exploit vulnerabilities in systems other than Sony's that have similar architecture to the PlayStation Network.
(STD again: We haven't seen any outside analysis, and we're unlikely to for quite some time unless the perps brag in public or Sony decides to disclose for some reason.)
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It's been LONG since publicized that Sony probably brought this upon themselves, beyond the idiotic storing of user data in plain, or simple encrypted, text files, is the overreaching law they use to discourage people from bringing back qualities of the system they took away. Maybe in an alternate universe where Sony leaves alone customers wanting to use their system legally this never happened to Sony, cause no one would really have a reason to be so horrible to a company that treats their customers with respect. In this universe though? Sony did try to throw in jail people who not only made, but looked at, youtube videos that shows you how to use the system you bought the way you originally intended it. This was a violation of many of the fair use laws we've come to expect, and companies like Sony seek to destroy with their army of lawyers anyone who would dare tinker with their system. Sony needs to remember, THE INTERNET HAS TEETH.
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Sony lost me as a customer during the rootkit BS. I've debated getting a modded psp a few times, but I can't get excited about their products. Even putting aside their customer hating ways their stuff is BORING.
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their current PS3 game commercials are for the new Navy SEAL game.
A little out of touch, are we? Could be another backlash, as it may not be too cool to "play" Navy SEAL right now. Sony's not gonna get the benefit of the doubt anymore.
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