Sony video game online network hacked, possibility of user’s names, addresses and credit card data stolen

77 million users hit as a battle of principles between PlayStation and unknown hackers has brought down the PS network for a week already;latest fears are that credit card and personal information may have been stolen. Sony suffered a huge breach in its video game online network that allowed the theft of names,addresses and possibly credit card data belonging to 77 million user accounts,in one of the largest Internet security break-ins ever. Sony said it learned of the breach in its popular PlayStation Network on April 19,prompting it to shut down the network.Sony did not tell the public about the stolen data until Tuesday,hours after it unveiled its first tablet computers in Japan. An illegal and unauthorised person obtained names,addresses,email addresses,birth dates,user names,passwords,logins,security questions and more,Sony said on its US PlayStation blog. A Sony spokesman said it took several days of forensic investigation after learning of the breach before the company knew consumers data had been compromised. The news sparked fury among some users.If you have compromised my credit information,you will never receive it again, read one message on the PlayStation Network blog from a user under the name Korbei83.

The fact that youve waited this long to divulge this information to your customers is deplorable.

The shutdown of the PSN prevented owners of Sonys video game console from buying and downloading games,as well as playing with rivals over the Internet. Sony said it could restore some of the networks services within a week. Alan Paller,research director of the SANS Institute,said the breach may be the largest theft of identity data information on record. The online network was launched in the autumn of 2006 and offers games,music and movies to people with PlayStation consoles.It had 77 million registered users as of March 20,a Sony spokesman said. The crisis could also overshadow Sonys plans to launch a new handheld games device,the Next Gen Portable,by the end of the year. It said it saw no evidence credit card numbers were stolen,but warned users it could not rule out the possibility. Out of an abundance of caution,we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained, Sony said. Sony has hired an outside security firm to investigate.It said user account info was compromised between April 17 and April 19.