The US, Britain, Australia and Hong Kong are investigating the hacking and theft of personal data from Sony’s PlayStation Network, which has 77 million users worldwide.
The PlayStation Network and Qriocity streaming music service were shut down on Wednesday last week after what Sony described as an “external intrusion” and remain offline as the company upgrades security and works with US federal investigators.
A US House of Representatives panel on Friday sent a letter to Sony chairman Kazuo Hirai with questions on the data breach.
“Sony’s statement describes information illegally obtained to include account information as well as potentially profile information,” said the letter from a panel of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which was posted on the Internet. “Given the amount and nature of personal information known to have been taken, the potential harm that could be caused if credit card information was also taken would be quite significant.”
The committee, which has scheduled a hearing on Wednesday to discuss data theft issues, also asked Sony to explain why it believes credit card information was not taken despite being unable to determine the exact scale of the theft.
The Japanese electronics giant has said users’ credit card data was encrypted, but could not rule out the possibility that card data was obtained by hackers.
The UK Information Commissioner’s Office said it had contacted Sony and will make “further enquiries to establish the precise nature of the incident before deciding what action, if any, needs to be taken.”
Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim also said he had launched an investigation.
“We’re seeing more and more now information being held globally and it’s more incumbent upon organizations to make sure they do have strong security systems in place to protect that information,” he told broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corp earlier this week.
Hong Kong Privacy Commissioner Data Allan Chiang (蔣任宏) said he was probing the breach and met with local Sony official Katsuhiko Murase who told him 400,000 Hong Kong PlayStation Network user accounts were involved.
He said Murase told him the account information compromised includes the name, address, country, e-mail address, birthdate, PSN password and login, and PSN online ID of users, but there was no evidence that credit card data was taken.
Sony is being sued in a US court by gamers who have accused the company of being negligent and breaching its contracts with PlayStation Network users.
The company has not indicated whether it has identified a culprit in the intrusion.
Internet vigilante group Anonymous had vowed retribution against Sony for taking legal action against hackers who cracked PS3 defenses to change console operating software.
PROTECTIONISM: China hopes to help domestic chipmakers gain more market share while preparing local tech companies for the possibility of more US sanctions Beijing is stepping up pressure on Chinese companies to buy locally produced artificial intelligence (AI) chips instead of Nvidia Corp products, part of the nation’s effort to expand its semiconductor industry and counter US sanctions. Chinese regulators have been discouraging companies from purchasing Nvidia’s H20 chips, which are used to develop and run AI models, sources familiar with the matter said. The policy has taken the form of guidance rather than an outright ban, as Beijing wants to avoid handicapping its own AI start-ups and escalating tensions with the US, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because the
Taipei is today suspending its US$2.5 trillion stock market as Super Typhoon Krathon approaches Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rain. The nation is not conducting securities, currency or fixed-income trading, statements from its stock and currency exchanges said. Yesterday, schools and offices were closed in several cities and counties in southern and eastern Taiwan, including in the key industrial port city of Kaohsiung. Taiwan, which started canceling flights, ship sailings and some train services earlier this week, has wind and rain advisories in place for much of the island. It regularly experiences typhoons, and in July shut offices and schools as
Her white-gloved, waistcoated uniform impeccable, 22-year-old Hazuki Okuno boards a bullet train replica to rehearse the strict protocols behind the smooth operation of a Japanese institution turning 60 Tuesday. High-speed Shinkansen trains began running between Tokyo and Osaka on Oct. 1, 1964, heralding a new era for rail travel as Japan grew into an economic superpower after World War II. The service remains integral to the nation’s economy and way of life — so keeping it dazzlingly clean, punctual and accident-free is a serious job. At a 10-story, state-of-the-art staff training center, Okuno shouted from the window and signaled to imaginary colleagues, keeping
Arm Holdings PLC approached Intel Corp about potentially buying the ailing chipmaker’s product division, only to be told that the business is not for sale, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. In the high-level inquiry, Arm did not express interest in Intel’s manufacturing operations, said the source, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were private. Intel has two main units: A product group that sells chips for personal computers, servers and networking equipment, and another that operates its factories. Representatives for Arm and Intel declined to comment. Intel, once the world’s largest chipmaker, has become the
RSS