A scanned copy of one of the Conference's handouts, breaking down PSN accounts by region
Sony’s Tokyo press conference on the Playstation Network outage (supposedly a “known vunerability” that was not expressed to managers at the affected data center) is just wrapping up. While little new information was given, Sony Corp’s Executive Deputy President Kazuo Hirai did detail a compensation program to thank users for their patience. All members of the Playstation Network can expect 30 free days of Playstation Plus once the service is reinstated (expected within the week for most principal functions), with current Plus subscribers getting a free 30 day extension, with some unannounced “Playstation entertainment content” also made available for free.
“This criminal act against our network had a significant impact not only on our consumers, but our entire industry…These illegal attacks obviously highlight the widespread problem with cyber-security. We take the security of our consumers’ information very seriously and are committed to helping our consumers protect their personal data. In addition, the organization has worked around the clock to bring these services back online, and are doing so only after we had verified increased levels of security across our networks.” detailed Kazuo Hirai, “Our global audience of PlayStation Network and Qriocity consumers was disrupted. We have learned lessons along the way about the valued relationship with our consumers, and to that end, we will be launching a customer appreciation program for registered consumers as a way of expressing our gratitude for their loyalty during this network downtime, as we work even harder to restore and regain their trust in us and our services.”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0d6u7pEDgw[/youtube]
The company also confirmed again that their is no evidence to suggest credit card data misuse, the 10 million PSN accounts with active credit cards still reportedly safe and encrypted. A new firmware update will launch with the reestablished network, requiring all users to change their account password from either the exact PS3 unit associated with the account, or through a series of email verifications. The company has since moved its data center from the location of the attack, San Diego, California, to a different, unmentioned location.
Sony confirmed the reason for the delay in user notification was the thorough initial investigation performed by two separate computer forensic firms. The console maker also reaffirmed its continued cooperation with multiple global authorities in performing criminal investigations into the event. The new Playstation Network is expected to bring “higher security to costumer data” and include “software monitoring” and harder encryption against future attacks. Sony also promised to honor any provable claims of fraud, as well as any account cancellations users may wish to perform.
Happy with Sony’s response to the issue, E-Gs? Or is more action required? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!
I think that, as long as the ‘free content’ they offer is quality content. But really, the compensation they’re giving is certainly adequate to the problems, and I like they they’re offering assistance in identity theft protection – that will ease some peoples’ worries.