Sony CEO Speaks Out on PSN Catastrophe

[Sniper Team 4]

Read the first part, hoping for some news as to when I can play online. Nothing. Blast it. THIS. IS. KILLING ME!

 

[mjc0961]

Now, how about he explain Sony's obsolete software [http://consumerist.com/2011/05/security-expert-sony-knew-its-software-was-obsolete-months-before-psn-breach.html].

If not him, somebody ought to explain that, along with an additional apology along the lines of "Sorry we didn't use our prior knowledge of how shit our security was to beef up security before this happened." Acknowledge that it is indeed partially their fault that they got hacked in the first place. Yes, anything can get hacked, but if you don't even have the latest patches for your server software and don't even have a freaking firewall on the damn thing, you fucked up. Especially if people told you "Hey guys, you're really vulnerable. You should do something about that" and you ignore them. This is of course assuming that Dr. Gene Spafford is correct in his claims.

But anyway, what's done is done. I'm rather happy with the one year of free credit report/identity theft monitoring service along with the insurance for up to $1 million to cover any costs and such that we would incur if someone did use our info. It'll still suck if something happens, but at least it'll suck a bit less. And short of hopping in a time machine and going back to a few months ago to fix their security when they were warned it sucked (which obviously can't happen), I can't think of any other major thing I think Sony should be doing to try and make up for this. Overall, I'm pretty happy. I don't think I'll take my PS3 out to the nearest wood-chipper anytime soon.

I do sincerely hope that other companies that have been lax on their own security for customer information have been watching this fiasco, realizing "Oh shit, that could be us!", and increasing their security before something happens to them and their customers too.

 

[instantbenz]

First thought: The Sony CEO and president is white?
Second thought: These hackers are assholes...
Third thought: How nice, he is giving a welcome back package even though it is probably mostly to help himself
Fourth thought: Fire the idiots who made your security and I will totally be on your side Sony.

They can't lose the man-power. Once they've been worked to the bone for 3 straight weeks remaking the network, then the security analysts will be fired and replaced by people from anon .

 

[Awexsome]

Thats because the credit cards were a cover to steal Important documents from Sony that can shut them down permanently. See you later Sony you had a good run but your time is now limited. The clock has begun.......

Oh yes let's all have a chuckle about sony going out of business. You forget that Sony isn't just the head honchos and higher ups responsible for this mess, who even if it went out of business could fall back on their fortunes, its every single employee, supplier, buyer and all the employees of those respective companies. If Sony were to go down, it would have an awful effect on a great many people so don't wish downfall upon Sony. I sincerely hope you're joking, I have no great love for Sony right now (nor ever particularly) but if such a big company collapsed it would be catastrophic.

I actually feel bad for sony. I'm sick of hackers. They're just making problems for everyone but themselves.

This is exactly how I feel about the whole thing in general, and that whole geohotz thing... and anonymous.

It would also be very bad for the games industry as a whole. If you can't figure out why, there is no point in explaining it.

It would be very bad for the gaming industry for what? For all the hackers and people like Geohotz to disappear?

No. No it wouldn't. In fact it would make this world a much, much better place without them.

 

[Void Droid]

But the news isn't all bad. Stringer said there's no evidence at this point that any stolen credit card information has been misused and also confirmed that U.S. PlayStation Network and Qriocity customers will be enrolled in the AllClear ID Plus identity theft protect program [http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/05/sony-offering-free-allclear-id-plus-identity-theft-protection-in-the-united-states-through-debix-inc/], that includes a $1 million insurance policy against identity theft, for one year at no charge.

That's very nice and all but what about us Euro folk, we had our shit stolen too, are we lumbered without extra protection as well as (the past has shown) the worst of the "welcome back" gifts?

 

[VonBrewskie]

Bummer. I was really looking forward to some Socom 4...ever...this sucks. I can only play Dungeon Hunters: Alliance so many times before my eyes start to bleed...

 

[Sovereignty]

Sony's Head Honcho Speaks Out on PSN Catastrophe

U.S. PlayStation Network and Qriocity customers will be enrolled in the AllClear ID Plus identity theft protect program [http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/05/sony-offering-free-allclear-id-plus-identity-theft-protection-in-the-united-states-through-debix-inc/], that includes a $1 million insurance policy against identity theft, for one year at no charge.



Permalink

"one year at no charge"? does that mean sony's going to start charging extra for adequate theft protection next year??

Either that, or they'll take away the protection program after a year. Your guess would be as good as mine...but I think we both know the answer to your question. Sooooo, we might as well take estimations as how much it'll cost per month or per year while we're still young.

I'm going with 60 US dollars per year, and that will be IF you're enrolled in it after the year is up.

This is in addition to the upgraded server security. Appears to be an incentive to bring people back with more peace of mind. Services like XBOX Live don't offer that, but then again, they haven't lost data to hackers and shaken the faith of their community.

Uh, I'm pretty sure this isn't a permanent thing for people who sign up on PSN.

It's more likely then not them enrolling you in a third-party ID monitoring system they don't have anything to do with. Like Life-lock, but probably cheaper.

Then they'll leave it up to you to continue it for a year.

 

[Syntax Error]

Nice of them to do this. At least now they regained a modicum of transparency with their consumers.

Off-topic:
I wonder what the reaction would be if, hypothetically speaking - Activision were to get hit by something like this and Bobby Kotick went out of his way to do the same thing as Howard Stringer - hypothetically speaking, of course. What would be your reaction?

 

[OutforEC]

This is of course assuming that Dr. Gene Spafford is correct in his claims.

This is exactly what Spafford had to say in the transcript of the Congressional testimony regarding the 'obsolete' software:

"I have no information about what protections they had in place, although some
news reports indicate that Sony was running software that was badly out of date, and had
been warned about that risk."

Source: http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/Media/file/Hearings/CTCP/050411/Spafford.pdf

This doesn't exactly strike me as a blistering condemnation, more like a "Well, what I heard was..."

 

[Danzaivar]

Thats because the credit cards were a cover to steal Important documents from Sony that can shut them down permanently. See you later Sony you had a good run but your time is now limited. The clock has begun.......

Oh yes let's all have a chuckle about sony going out of business. You forget that Sony isn't just the head honchos and higher ups responsible for this mess, who even if it went out of business could fall back on their fortunes, its every single employee, supplier, buyer and all the employees of those respective companies. If Sony were to go down, it would have an awful effect on a great many people so don't wish downfall upon Sony. I sincerely hope you're joking, I have no great love for Sony right now (nor ever particularly) but if such a big company collapsed it would be catastrophic.

I actually feel bad for sony. I'm sick of hackers. They're just making problems for everyone but themselves.

This is exactly how I feel about the whole thing in general, and that whole geohotz thing... and anonymous.

It would also be very bad for the games industry as a whole. If you can't figure out why, there is no point in explaining it.

It would be very bad for the gaming industry for what? For all the hackers and people like Geohotz to disappear?

No. No it wouldn't. In fact it would make this world a much, much better place without them.

Yeah we'd all be better off if noone was around to show how crap the security of people we trust with our private data is...

What?

 

[Awexsome]

Thats because the credit cards were a cover to steal Important documents from Sony that can shut them down permanently. See you later Sony you had a good run but your time is now limited. The clock has begun.......

Oh yes let's all have a chuckle about sony going out of business. You forget that Sony isn't just the head honchos and higher ups responsible for this mess, who even if it went out of business could fall back on their fortunes, its every single employee, supplier, buyer and all the employees of those respective companies. If Sony were to go down, it would have an awful effect on a great many people so don't wish downfall upon Sony. I sincerely hope you're joking, I have no great love for Sony right now (nor ever particularly) but if such a big company collapsed it would be catastrophic.

I actually feel bad for sony. I'm sick of hackers. They're just making problems for everyone but themselves.

This is exactly how I feel about the whole thing in general, and that whole geohotz thing... and anonymous.

It would also be very bad for the games industry as a whole. If you can't figure out why, there is no point in explaining it.

It would be very bad for the gaming industry for what? For all the hackers and people like Geohotz to disappear?

No. No it wouldn't. In fact it would make this world a much, much better place without them.

Yeah we'd all be better off if noone was around to show how crap the security of people we trust with our private data is...

What?

So... you'd rather put the people trying to steal your personal information to use for nefarious purposes higher up on the pedestal here?

 

[linwolf]

Thats because the credit cards were a cover to steal Important documents from Sony that can shut them down permanently. See you later Sony you had a good run but your time is now limited. The clock has begun.......

Oh yes let's all have a chuckle about sony going out of business. You forget that Sony isn't just the head honchos and higher ups responsible for this mess, who even if it went out of business could fall back on their fortunes, its every single employee, supplier, buyer and all the employees of those respective companies. If Sony were to go down, it would have an awful effect on a great many people so don't wish downfall upon Sony. I sincerely hope you're joking, I have no great love for Sony right now (nor ever particularly) but if such a big company collapsed it would be catastrophic.

I actually feel bad for sony. I'm sick of hackers. They're just making problems for everyone but themselves.

This is exactly how I feel about the whole thing in general, and that whole geohotz thing... and anonymous.

It would also be very bad for the games industry as a whole. If you can't figure out why, there is no point in explaining it.

It would be very bad for the gaming industry for what? For all the hackers and people like Geohotz to disappear?

No. No it wouldn't. In fact it would make this world a much, much better place without them.

Yeah we'd all be better off if noone was around to show how crap the security of people we trust with our private data is...

What?

So... you'd rather put the people trying to steal your personal information to use for nefarious purposes higher up on the pedestal here?

You do know that a lot of hackers work is to improve security. But no criminals uses guns, the police uses guns therefore the police must be criminals.

 

[Awexsome]

Thats because the credit cards were a cover to steal Important documents from Sony that can shut them down permanently. See you later Sony you had a good run but your time is now limited. The clock has begun.......

Oh yes let's all have a chuckle about sony going out of business. You forget that Sony isn't just the head honchos and higher ups responsible for this mess, who even if it went out of business could fall back on their fortunes, its every single employee, supplier, buyer and all the employees of those respective companies. If Sony were to go down, it would have an awful effect on a great many people so don't wish downfall upon Sony. I sincerely hope you're joking, I have no great love for Sony right now (nor ever particularly) but if such a big company collapsed it would be catastrophic.

I actually feel bad for sony. I'm sick of hackers. They're just making problems for everyone but themselves.

This is exactly how I feel about the whole thing in general, and that whole geohotz thing... and anonymous.

It would also be very bad for the games industry as a whole. If you can't figure out why, there is no point in explaining it.

It would be very bad for the gaming industry for what? For all the hackers and people like Geohotz to disappear?

No. No it wouldn't. In fact it would make this world a much, much better place without them.

Yeah we'd all be better off if noone was around to show how crap the security of people we trust with our private data is...

What?

So... you'd rather put the people trying to steal your personal information to use for nefarious purposes higher up on the pedestal here?

You do know that a lot of hackers work is to improve security. But no criminals uses guns, the police uses guns therefore the police must be criminals.

Oh of course. These hackers greatly improved the security of those peoples' personal info.

They're not honor-bound vigilantes.

They're criminals. Criminals that should be punished by the full extent of the law.

 

[Void Droid]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-06-sonys-psn-identity-protection-scheme

Don't know how to make a link "clickable" but I guess that answers my previous question, nice to know now, still doesn't affect me as my card not only expired a year ago it also belongs to an account I've closed then as well, but for other Euro folks (such as my friends) it's nice I suppose.

*Edit* Makes it clickable itself I see... well learn something new I suppose.

 

[Jezzascmezza]

That's a shame... I had always hoped that the Sony CEO was Kevin Butler...

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

And, of course, you're going to extend this protection to all those people no longer able to play DCUO, Everquest or any of your other Station based games?

Hey, it's not like you locked all of your MMOs into one particular unsecured database is...it?

 

[wastaz]

...and also confirmed that U.S. PlayStation Network and Qriocity customers will be enrolled in the AllClear ID Plus identity theft protect program...

So what about us non-USA-ians on this side of the pond? Will we get any protection or..?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Oh of course. These hackers greatly improved the security of those peoples' personal info.

They're not honor-bound vigilantes.

They're criminals. Criminals that should be punished by the full extent of the law.

Which is...unable to reach them.

And yes, the hackers have improved the security of the people's lives. By teaching Sony that their antiquated insecure system needs a damn good update.

They my have also committed crimes, for which they will stand trial, but would you have preferred a power outage or something to have caused this? Because if their system is as open as reports say, the entire PSN could have been used as a bot-net without anyone knowing.

 

[Zenode]

confirmed that U.S. PlayStation Network and Qriocity customers will be enrolled in the AllClear ID Plus identity theft protect program [http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/05/sony-offering-free-allclear-id-plus-identity-theft-protection-in-the-united-states-through-debix-inc/], that includes a $1 million insurance policy against identity theft, for one year at no charge.

As in United States of America customers only, seriously, they do realise there are millions over the WHOLE GODDAMN WORLD that were affected by this, not just the united states, why do they get the extra cover over this >.>

Im glad that Sony are saying "look, we did this, this and this. We did it because blah blah blah" At least they are being a little bit open about what they are doing

 

[kanetsb]

I'm sure we'll enjoy the bonuses once the lawsuits are over... Just hope there's a Sony after them.