Sony Agrees to Testify Before U.S. Congress

Tom Goldman

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Aug 17, 2009
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Sony Agrees to Testify Before U.S. Congress



A representative from Sony will testify before U.S. Congress in a session focused on data security.

Sony continues to deal with the aftermath of the recent declined [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109568-Sony-Admits-Private-PSN-Info-Has-Been-Stolen-All-Of-It] an invitation to appear before the inquiring U.S. Congress, Sony has now changed its mind.

President of Sony Network Entertainment International Tim Schaaff will make his way into Congress' chamber to testify in a hearing focused on data security scheduled for June 2. He'll be joined by a representative from Epsilon, a company that also recently faced a breach exposing millions of email addresses and passwords.

Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack will preside over the hearing. Bono Mack has been critical of Sony's handling of the data breach, demanding that Sony answer around 13 questions on the matter on May 17, which it since has. Bono Mack is happy that Sony has now agreed to testify.

Though it might seem like Sony has been sent to the principal's office, the hearing doesn't appear to be much more than a forum through which Congress can learn how to better form legislation to prevent data theft in the future. A spokesman said: "[Bono Mack] firmly believes that the lessons learned from both the Sony and Epsilon experiences can be instructive and guide us as we develop comprehensive data protection legislation."

Government officials may be hoping to learn how to write up required data safeguards that corporations would have the comply with or procedures they'd have to follow after an attack. Still, there's always the possibility that Sony will be raked over the coals a little too.

Thanks for the tip de5gravity [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view/de5gravity]!

Source: New York Times [http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/sony-and-epsilon-agree-to-testify-before-congress/]


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vrbtny

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Sep 16, 2009
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What? So we're going into the courtroom now?

Where's Phoenix Wright in all this? Is he available?
 

arealperson

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vrbtny said:
What? So we're going into the courtroom now?

Where's Phoenix Wright in all this? Is he available?
Not only does he have no real choice in his involvement, but the case has an exact, practically foregone conclusion! At least the courts won't be so backlogged anymore... (love the games, btw).

OT: Good to hear the court is taking this seriously, without punitive measures being the only goal.
 

Kenjitsuka

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Sep 10, 2009
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What do they need to write up?
SAS 70 and ISO 2700 are already good ways to prove you are handling data storage in a good way.
 

ImprovizoR

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Dec 6, 2009
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Though it previously declined an invitation to appear before the inquiring U.S. Congress, Sony has now changed its mind.
I might be cynical but this time I think everyone will agree when I say how convenient. If congress is discussing it, you can be damn sure the decision whatever it is will not benefit the customers. When they talk about preventing data theft they're actually talking about censoring and controlling internet. They've been trying to do it for years. They just need a good enough excuse.
 

SteewpidZombie

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*Sigh*...why do I foresee the possibility of some pissed off teenagers calling themselves 'Anonymous' deciding to get up in arms about this meeting and what might be decided?
 

Cobelo

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I really wish Sony would stop dealing with other things than getting PSN fixed finally. Really, they need to finish what they're fixing before they deal with PR. Sure, multiplayer's back up but they seem to have forgotten the whole 'welcome back' deal they put forth, seeing as the playstation store's still not back up.

That's kinda how i see it. Let Congress deal with Congress. Fix the stuff that needs fixed first.
 

Charli

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I'm a little apprehensive about a governing body drilling an entertainment company on their affairs, it could have positive or negative ramifications for those that utilize Sony's products or products from companies like thus... So... I'm going to wait on this one. And see.
 

Kopikatsu

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Cobelo said:
I really wish Sony would stop dealing with other things than getting PSN fixed finally. Really, they need to finish what they're fixing before they deal with PR. Sure, multiplayer's back up but they seem to have forgotten the whole 'welcome back' deal they put forth, seeing as the playstation store's still not back up.

That's kinda how i see it. Let Congress deal with Congress. Fix the stuff that needs fixed first.
President of Sony Network Entertainment International Tim Schaaff will make his way into Congress' chamber to testify in a hearing focused on data security scheduled for June 2.
...Only the President of Sony will be going to the hearing. It isn't like they're taking the programmers away from their job and forcing them to be elsewhere. Schaaff's absence for one day probably won't cause everyone at Sony to stop what they're doing and play hooky.

It's kind of like when people yelled at the FBI for tracking down the hackers instead of focusing on 'real' crimes. Even though the FBI specifically has a cyber crime division whose job is specifically to investigate...well...cyber crimes.
 

samsonguy920

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Here's hoping Sony sends someone that knows what they are doing. If they send a completely unprepared tard in, then Sony deserved what happened to them. It is about time that those in congress quit whining about security being the responsibility of businesses, and start laying down laws that do something to bring hackers down, and fund the Justice Department(not Homeland Security) to do the job right. Sony can lay the groundwork for that if they play their cards right.
 

Johnnyallstar

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Feb 22, 2009
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So, the congressional members stand up, Harry Reid makes some nonsensical argument about how they should be protecting the people, blah blah blah.

Sony says "We can't really prevent hackers, all we can do is try to prevent hacks. Sometimes a hacker wins."

And hopefully congress throws a hissyfit and does nothing, since there's not a lot of precedent describing what they can do. I mean, Sony didn't sell information, it was stolen, and you can't sue somebody for having their house broken into and robbed.

Actually, I wouldn't put it past Reid to try and sue somebody for being robbed. It's the government's job to rob people, and anyone who has something to steal obviously hasn't given it to the government yet.
 

samsonguy920

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Charli said:
I'm a little apprehensive about a governing body drilling an entertainment company on their affairs, it could have positive or negative ramifications for those that utilize Sony's products or products from companies like thus... So... I'm going to wait on this one. And see.
Many corporations visit capitol hill regularly to clarify actions done that can affect a large portion of the nation's populace. The Detroit Three(though that nickname hardly applies anymore), Boeing and other airplane designers and makers, and so on and so forth.
There really isn't anything to be worried about here. If anything this can help get some congress/wo/men's heads out of their butts and making hasty judgements when they don't know everything.
 

Charli

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samsonguy920 said:
Charli said:
I'm a little apprehensive about a governing body drilling an entertainment company on their affairs, it could have positive or negative ramifications for those that utilize Sony's products or products from companies like thus... So... I'm going to wait on this one. And see.
Many corporations visit capitol hill regularly to clarify actions done that can affect a large portion of the nation's populace. The Detroit Three(though that nickname hardly applies anymore), Boeing and other airplane designers and makers, and so on and so forth.
There really isn't anything to be worried about here. If anything this can help get some congress/wo/men's heads out of their butts and making hasty judgements when they don't know everything.
That may be true, but I'm worried Sony fucked up royally enough to have this produce some serious infringements on online usage. As I said, leaving myself out of this one til the jury's finished.
 

Veylon

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Aug 15, 2008
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Johnnyallstar said:
I mean, Sony didn't sell information, it was stolen, and you can't sue somebody for having their house broken into and robbed.
What, did the hackers drop from helicopters with assault rifles and seize Sony's data by force? There was no "robbery" here. What the hackers did was ask nicely for millions of users' personal data and Sony's servers sent it to them. Sony is responsible because they programmed their computers to act as they did.
 

MercurySteam

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Apr 11, 2008
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JNA17 said:
Can somebody here fill me in exactly why Sony has to go to court now all of a sudden?
There was a fairly significant breach in security and a truckload of personal info was stolen and now Sony is off to court to justify how they handled it and how they plan to prevent this from happening in the future.
 

WorldFree55

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MercurySteam said:
JNA17 said:
Can somebody here fill me in exactly why Sony has to go to court now all of a sudden?
There was a fairly significant breach in security and a truckload of personal info was stolen and now Sony is off to court to justify how they handled it and how they plan to prevent this from happening in the future.
Oh well i know about the long security Sony has endured but why exactly does the courts have to get involved now? Did Sony do something that was illegal? Did somebody sue them? I read the article but I'm still confused.