So, that PSN outage? That’s been going on for a week? Yeah, it’s because user personal information got hacked.
That sounds a lot more dire than it actually is. First of all, the key piece of data is your Social Security number, which PSN does not collect. The rest is stuff pretty much everybody has already: your name, address, etc. Yes, hackers may have your credit card number…but that’s no big deal, as you aren’t responsible for fraudulent charges on your card. Just keep an eye on the credit card you tied to the PSN network, and report any suspicious activity…something you really should have been doing anyway.
The shutdown is so that Sony can rebuild the network to be a lot more secure than it was, and hopefully protect everyone’s information.
As for who’s responsible, Anonymous denies it was them, which doesn’t really mean much since it’s not exactly a top-down hierarchal structure over there. Odds are pretty good it was somebody upset over the whole Geohot slapfight, though.
Beyond that, can everybody just have a nice tall glass of STFU and calm down about this?
Look, Sony did screw up. Did I, as a PS3 owner, want to know that user personal information may have been compromised right away? Hell yes. They should have told everyone immediately.
And, if you’re the kind of person who lives for online multiplayer, I can understand the revelation that you really need to get out of the house is uncomfortable. Still, we’re firmly in the realm of “first world problems” here; not being able to play “SOCOM 4″ is not a big deal. Ars Technica shouldn’t be disguising a gamer hissy fit as a serious legal discussion because you have to have a friend over to play “Portal 2″. Were people really “hurt” by this, Ars? Seriously?
Let’s consider something important here…namely that the PlayStation Network is free, it’s going to keep being free, and that we’ll probably get something pretty cool for free out of this.
Yes, our toy is broken, but let’s try and be at least somewhat mature about it, OK?
[ via the level heads at Geekosystem ]
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Yes… let’s see what these mature adults are clamoring about, stuff like Obama’s Birth Certificate and who Sarah Palin is pissing off next. It’s great to be one of these mature individuals!
Seriously though, quit bitching about the PSN gamers. Seitz is right, it’s free and you need some sun.
After being on Playstation Home for a couple years now, I’m not at all surprised by Sony’s delay in giving out any information; They seem to love keeping their users in the dark when it comes to glitches, bugs or hacks on the PSN. With such a massive attack you’d think they’d keep us a little more up to date but leapords don’t change spots. Still I agree, people need to chill out over this. This PSN outage sucks (especially with no Netflix) but it’ll be back sooner rather than later.
On the other hand, since I signed up for the Plus premium service (like literally 2 weeks before this happened), I actually am paying for the PSN so… god damnit.
@Larry
I tried last night and the Netflix app actually still works. Gives you a login prompt (and error) but still lets you move forward and watch shit.
@Punanisher Awesome, thanks for the info!
The shitty thing is I haven’t used my PS3 for anything in the last year other then web browser and to watch blu-ray and now my info has been stolen. I do agree that the people who are more about not being able to play online are fools but it is kind of a big deal for someone to have their info stolen.
PSN does have a responsibility to it’s customers.
I busted my ass at work to pay for a copy of Black Ops, one of it’s BIGGEST selling points is it’s online. So when I get home from my shit job to go online and it’s down for months, and my shits been compromised, and they didn’t tell anyone for a week?
Don’t tell me how to feel faggot.
once this shit happens to xbox live users this “free” argument is going out the fucking window.
Steven B makes a good argument, I’m changing my opinion to “Don’t tell me how to feel faggot” as well.
(I think he skimmed over that request for maturity)
I’m going to go on record with my opinion as “don’t tell me how to feel, dicknose” because my gay friends get mad when I say faggot. I’m not mad that I can’t play my games online, because I can, on my Xbox. I’m mad that Sony took a week to tell me my info was stolen. So again, don’t tell me how to feel, dicknose.
So if someone is pissed that sony buttfucked their users’ data into orbit they have personal problems? You softshoe your argument in there by saying that ‘My SSN number is the key piece of data’ so yeah, I’m totally relaxed that any personal info I might have given PSN could be used mouth rape my bank account.
The difference is that if happens to microsoft the users have a right to be pissed, b/c they wasted hard earned cash on it. I’m not pissed when the wi-fi at work runs slow, but if is stole my wallet and fingered my grandmother as WELL as sucking I’d get pretty fucking furious.
At least they’re doing something. That lawsuit against Sony, for the record, likely won’t hold up because we, and those silly lawyers, have no idea what steps were in place to prevent this. Nor do we know the full effect of it as this has just happened. If this custom firmware allowed them in as a trusted party, like a developer, then it’s likely there was very little in the way that would normally be in the way of a normal user. This is, of course, because the only people who should have access to that space of PSN are devs who would be financially liable if they stole anything.
The Playstation blog has been pretty good on communicating the situation. paraphrasing:
4/20 We’re aware that the system is down.
4/21 We are investigating the cause of the Network outage.
4/22 Turns out we were hacked.
4/23, 25 We are rebuilding
4/26 We found out that your data was stolen
4/27 We told you we were hacked soon after we found out about it, on the 22nd. We didn’t find out that your data was stolen until the 25th, and we told you yesterday. Calm the fuck down.
..
When data is stolen it doesn’t actually go missing. It’s not like a vault full of gold. You don’t burst into a room full of empty servers and scream, We been robb’d!.
What a bunch of crying bitches. They cant do SHIT more than anyone else could do with a city directory or a phone book, but you crying little pussies wont STFU about how “My info was stolen!!!!”. What a bunch of idiots. Your CC info was not taken because it was on separate servers that are (A) highly encrypted, and (B) WERE NOT BREACHED. So stop your fucking Crying, and wait for PSN to come back up!