Playstation Network Down Globally

[Monseratto]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13169518

22 April 2011 Last updated at 15:34 GMT
Playstation Network suspended 'for day or two'

Millions of gamers are unable to play online as the Playstation Network remains unavailable.

Users are seeing error messages stating the network is "undergoing maintenance" or is "suspended".

In a blog post, makers Sony thanked users for their patience but warned the downtime - which has so far lasted more than 20 hours - could continue for "a day or two".

In recent weeks, Playstation has been targeted by hackers group Anonymous.

The group appeared to deny being responsible for the attack, releasing a message stating "for once we didn't do it".

The network has more than 70 million users worldwide, but Sony were unable to clarify how many players had been affected.

However, Twitter messages and blog posts have been posted from all over the world.

The problems have also affected other services running on the network. Film rental site LoveFilm confirmed to the BBC that their customers are currently unable to stream films when using the Playstation service.

This outage is the latest in a series of problems for the network which has suffered extended periods of downtime over the past few weeks.

In response, angry gamers have flooded blogs, forums and Twitter with complaints.

"A full day and you guys still have no clue what is causing this," wrote user Slickshoes in response to the company's blog post.

'Poor timing'

Another user, Max Smith, contacted the BBC to share his frustration that Sony is not keeping gamers better informed.

"To be honest I think that Sony need to give more updates towards the gamers via their Twitter account. There has been no update in the past 18 hours which is really making the community go crazy," he said.

Oli Welsh, from Eurogamer.net, said the outage is a big problem for Sony - especially at Easter.

"As much as the weather's lovely, a lot of gamers will be looking forward to tucking in to their favourite hobby this week.

"It's also a pretty big week for new releases, the biggest we've had in a couple of months. There's one really key game coming out called Portal 2 which has a great online mode that a lot of people now won't be able to access straight away.

"For gamers it's a shame, and for Sony it's a problem."

Anonymous, the group which gained notoriety over Wikileaks-related attacks, has previously strongly criticised the Japan-based entertainment giant over its treatment of George Hotz, an American hacker who unlocked the games console's closed operating system.

Sony filed a lawsuit against the 21-year-old, arguing that his hack had allowed pirated games to be played on the machine.

The case was dropped earlier this month after Mr Hotz agreed to sign an injunction banning him from similar behaviour in future.

A spokesperson for Sony was unavailable for comment.

[Monseratto]

Nakasimangot yung bro ko buong weekend. Di maka update ng rockband account...

Sony 'rebuilding' PlayStation Network after outage


NEW YORK (AP) -- Sony Corp. said it is rebuilding its PlayStation Network to bring it back online after an "external intrusion" caused it to suspend the service.

The company said it turned off the service, which lets gamers connect in live play, so that it could strengthen its network infrastructure. Qriocity -- the company's online entertainment platform -- was also affected.

"Though this task is time-consuming, we decided it was worth the time necessary to provide the system with additional security," the company said in a blog post Saturday. An email message to the company seeking further details was not immediately returned.

The PlayStation Network and Qriocity had been turned off Wednesday evening so that the company could investigate an external intrusion. The company said the following day that it could take a "full day or two" to get the service back up and running.

On Saturday, the company said in a blog post that it was "working around the clock" to bring the services back online.

"We thank you for your patience to date and ask for a little more while we move towards completion of this project," the company said in the post.

The outage came just after Tuesday's release of the game "Mortal Kombat," which is available on the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360. It also comes as Amazon.com restores computers used by other major websites as an outage stretched into a fourth day.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Sony-r...51679.html?x=0

[tidus1203]

That's what you get when its free... Even when its fixed PSN is so laggy and very hard to connect. Sure Xbox Live is $50 a year but its way more reliable and way more consistent. Easier to connect and not very laggy...

[Monseratto]

One week on and still no PSN... The hacker attack looks bad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13192359

PlayStation hacker took user info

Sony has warned users of its PlayStation Network that their personal information, including credit card details, may have been stolen.

The company said that the data might have fallen into the hands of an "unauthorised person" following a hacking attack on its online service.

Access to the network was suspended last Wednesday, but Sony has only now revealed details of what happened.

Users are being warned to look out for attempted telephone and e-mail scams.

In a statement posted on the official PlayStation blog, Nick Caplin, the company's head of communications for Europe, said: "We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network".

The blog posting lists the personal information that Sony believes has been taken.

Name
Address (city, state/province, zip or postal code)
Country
E-mail address
Date of birth
PlayStation Network/Qriocity passwords and login
Handle/PSN online ID
Mr Caplin added: "It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained.

"For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information."

Credit cards

Sony admitted that credit card information, used to purchase games, films and music, may also have been stolen.

"While there is no evidence that credit card data was taken at this time, we cannot rule out the possibility," Mr Caplin said.

"If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, to be on the safe side we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may also have been obtained."

Sony has not given any indication of how many PlayStation Network users may have had their information taken, but the service has around 70 million members worldwide.

'PR Disaster'

The theft of so much detailed customer data would be seen as a "public relations disaster", according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at security firm Sophos.

"This is a big one," he told BBC News.

"The PlayStation Network is a real consumer product. It is in lots of homes all over the world.

"The impact of this could be much greater than your typical internet hack."

Mr Cluley warned that, even without credit card details, the information taken was enough to help criminals carry out further attacks on other services.

"Some people will use the same passwords on other sites. If I was a hacker right now, I would be taking those e-mail addresses and trying those passwords," he said.

[Monseratto]

Phishing alert for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on XBOX 360.


http://support.xbox.com/en-gb/Pages/...ve-status.aspx

PSN users report credit card fraud, Xbox Live gets phishing alert
29 Apr 11 00:00 by wconeybeer

It hasn’t been a good week for online gamers.

As reports are beginning to flood the internet about credit card theft which may be associated with the recent Sony PlayStation Network security breach, Microsoft has issued an alert to Xbox Live subscribers regarding phishing attempts directed at Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players.

“About two or three days ago, my bank notified me that I had gotten my own [credit card information] stolen, the one I use for my PSN account, and with it a ticket was purchased through a German airline for nearly $600,” one Ars Technica reader reported to the site. “They are still looking into the fraud charge meaning that right now I have a negative $500 in my account, with no good chance that I’ll be getting that back any time soon.”

“I also had an attempted fraudulent charge on my American Express card, about $8,000 going to some Japanese store. This all happened about when PSN started having trouble, so I’m betting this had something to do with it,” another wrote. “My advice: if you have your credit card info on PSN, watch your accounts like a hawk. I’m buying pre-paid cards from now on; you know, if I decide to ever spend money on PSN again.”
But despite the credit card fraud reports from PSN users around the world, Sony maintains that “all credit card information stored in our systems is encrypted and there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken.”

Meanwhile, some Xbox Live subscribers have some fraud issues of their own to deal with.
On Thursday, Xbox support issued a Service Alert stating that “users may receive potential phishing attempts via title specific messaging while playing Modern Warfare 2.” Infinity Ward Creative Strategist Robert Bowling assured players via Twitter that a patch to fix the issue would be released soon.

While the Xbox Live issues are nowhere near the extent of the still-unfolding Sony PS3 PSN breach, the situation serves as a reminder to be cautious no matter which game console you favor.

[Monseratto]

Issue getting bigger, FBI now involved... Main PSN services still down.

http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/04/fbi...investigation/

FBI Cybercrimes Joins 22 US States In Sweeping PSN Investigation
By Brian Crecente on April 29, 2011 at 9:30 AM

The Federal Bureau of Investigations today confirmed to Kotaku that it is looking into the security breach that brought the Playstation Network down and exposed millions of users’ personal data to cybercriminals.

The FBI is joined by nearly two dozen state attorneys general and possibly the Federal Trade Commission who are looking into this month’s Playstation Network hack attack which forced Sony to take their PS3 online service offline for more than a week.

Sony told Kotaku that they reported the security breach to the FBI’s cybercrimes unit in San Diego. Contacted Thursday, an FBI spokesman confirmed that they were looking into the reports.

“The FBI is aware of the reports concerning the alleged intrusion into the Sony on line game server and we have been in contact with Sony concerning this matter,” said FBI special agent Darrell Foxworth. “We are presently reviewing the available information in an effort to determine the facts and circumstances concerning this alleged criminal activity.”

Meanwhile attorneys general from 22 US states are demanding answers from Sony over the breach, asking why it took the company so long to alert customers to the attack.

That group of state attorneys general are sharing information with one another about their individual inquiries, Susan Kinsman, communications director for the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General told Kotaku.

The collection of attorneys general have also contacted the Federal Trade Commission to see if they have launched their own federal investigation, she said.

The Federal Trade Commission could have jurisdiction in a case involving loss of customer data through a security breach, FTC spokeswoman Claudia Bourne Farrell told Kotaku. But the FTC does not discuss or confirm ongoing investigations.

Kinsman also declined to say whether the FTC has launched their own investigation.

“A call has been made to the FTC and there will be discussions, but I can’t comment on whether the FTC is investigating,” she said.

While Kinsman was able to confirm that attorneys general from at least 22 states were looking into the Sony breach and how it might affect consumers in their states, she declined to say which states that included.

Connecticut’s own attorney general sent a letter to Sony Computer Entertainment of America President and CEO Jack Tretton on Wednesday. The letter demanded answers to a number of questions including what data was stolen, who was responsible, how long the company knew and what was being done to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“The fact that sensitive information was apparently accessed without authorization makes me especially concerned about the possibility of financial fraud and targeted phishing scams,” Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen wrote. “What is more troubling is Sony’s apparent failure to promptly and adequately notify affected individuals of this large-scale breach.”

The letter goes on to outline a baker’s dozen questions.

Kinsman said the letter was sent out Wednesday and that the office has not yet heard anything back from SCEA.

Sony officials told Kotaku that it wasn’t until Monday, after an outside security group conducted an extensive investigation, that they realised customer data had been stolen. That data included names, passwords and other identifying information. Sony doesn’t believe credit card numbers were stolen. If it was, that data is also encrypted when it is stored, they said.

Anyone with information concerning the breach is asked to contact the FBI at 858-565-1255 or 1-877-EZ-2-TELL. Cyber tips may be e-mailed to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

[foresterx]

That's what you get when its free... Even when its fixed PSN is so laggy and very hard to connect. Sure Xbox Live is $50 a year but its way more reliable and way more consistent. Easier to connect and not very laggy...

i agree with this, that's why i use xbox for online gaming. i haven't used my ps3 for a while now inaalikabok na nga eh. $50 a year for a much better online gaming is worth it, unlike PSN which disconnects me in the middle of a game most of the time.

[tidus1203]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FKkWo8KrKc&feature=related"]YouTube - Hitler rants about PSN being hacked[/ame]

Hitler got mad!

Hehe I already played Portal 2 online on Xbox! Suck that Hitler!

[Monseratto]

Hmmm...using a legit server to hack into the Playstation Network.

Amazon EC2 used as proxy in PSN hacks
updated 07:15 am EDT, Sat May 14, 2011


Amazon’s EC2 cloud-based rental server service is reported to have been utilized as a proxy in the Sony PlayStation Network hacks. According to Bloomberg, a person with knowledge of the matter has revealed that the hackers used an alias to rent an Amazon EC2 server and used it as the staging point for the attack. The person said that Amazon has closed the account used for the hack.

The strategy that the hackers used to rent, or even hijack, a server is one that is often used by sophisticated cyber-criminals. As server farms become commonplace, the ability for hackers to misdirect investigators has become easier. When asked for comment, Sony’s Patrick Seybold said, “We’re continuing to work with law enforcement in an ongoing investigation into the situation. As such, we will not comment further on this matter.”

Security experts believe that the FBI is likely to issue a subpoena to Amazon in order to conduct a forensic examination of the account the hackers used and to conduct a search of the affected Amazon server.

Read more: http://www.electronista.com/articles...#ixzz1MViZFSnQ

[Monseratto]

Es*** geek Ryan Cleary 'is Sony hacker’ | The Sun |News

A NERDY teenager was arrested yesterday on suspicion of masterminding a global computer hacking operation from his bedroom.
Oddball student Ryan Cleary, 19, was held by cops who swooped on his mum's home in Wickford, Es***.

He is thought to be a leader of LulzSec, a group claiming responsibility for hacking into Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency and the US Senate.

Geeky Cleary is also suspected of being the brains behind hacking raids on computer game giants Sony and Nintendo - and America's CIA secret service.

He allegedly did it all behind the closed curtains of his bedroom at his mum's extended bungalow. And a computer expert said last night: "It's the true nature of the internet that Wickford could be the centre of a global hacking movement."

Reclusive Cleary was arrested by cops yesterday in a "pre-planned intelligence-led operation".

The swoop was part of a joint investigation by Scotland Yard and the FBI.

American authorities were kept informed. And Cleary - said to be "very bright" - could eventually face extradition to the US.

Detectives believe he is a "major player" with LulzSec, a hackers' group which claimed responsibility for the theft of 77million Sony PlayStation customers' names, addresses, bank details and passwords.

The organisation - said to have links with the notorious WikiLeaks whistleblowers - is a splinter group of Anonymous, which last year launched digital assaults on MasterCard and PayPal.

LulzSec is believed to have initially targeted only gaming firms and US broadcasters including PBS and Fox.

The group cracked a cult computer joke after invading PBS, writing "All your base are belong to LulzSec" across its website above the hackers' moustachioed toff logo.

But on Twitter, it recently declared its intention to break into government websites and leak confidential documents. And claims it has lifted the entire 2011 UK census database are being probed.

Cleary, a heavy metal fan who has been thrown out of two schools for disruptive behaviour, was arrested by officers from Scotland Yard's specialist e-crime unit.

They took him in after quizzing him for five hours at the £330,000 home he shares with mum Rita, 45.

Police sources said a "mind-boggling amount of information" had been seized from one of the nerdy lad's two computers.

They added the swoop was just the start of what could be a "long and complex" inquiry - and further arrests were possible.

Last night it emerged Cleary's identity may have been blown by rival hackers who published his name, address and mobile number on the web earlier this month.

Stunned Rita, a nurse at Southend Hospital, said her son "lives his life online".

She told how he has a history of mental illness and suffers from agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces, but is highly intelligent. Rita added that she thought he was playing computer games in his bedroom and cannot believe he was hacking into security agency websites.

The mum said cops had talked to Cleary in "computer speak" and she could not understand the discussion.

Journalist James Nixon, who interviewed Cleary last month for technology website Thinq, said: "He's in a bit of a bubble. He is very much aware of the power that he has in his hands but not necessarily the repercussions."

Cleary's half-brother Mitchell, 22, said: "Ryan is obsessed with computers. He's a bit of a geek. That's all he does - he's a recluse. He locks himself in his room every day, closes the curtains and spends hours at a time online.

"He isn't into football or sports. Computers are everything to him. I barely see him. My mum is finding this extremely hard."

Mitchell added: "Ryan used to be part of WikiLeaks. He has upset someone doing that and they made a Facebook page having a go at him."

Cleary, who has a company named Arcusvoice registered in his name, was being questioned at a central London police station last night under computer misuse and fraud laws.

His father Neil, 44, is separated from his mum. The dad is thought to teach music in Peterborough, Cambs, and once worked on hit West End musical Starlight Express.

Computer security experts said Cleary's arrest is a coup for police if he is the mastermind of LulzSec. Graham Cluley, of anti-virus firm Sophos, said: "The hacker has been bloodying the nose of computer crime authorities around the world.

"But we don't know if it is one person behind LulzSec or a group."

Rik Ferguson, a security adviser at software makers Trend Micro, said: "If you have the skills you can make a name for yourself in very much the wrong way.

"Hackers have been doing it to spark chaos and for their idea of fun. But then they demonstrated a willingness to release personal information and that put people at risk. So it was not all about fun."

No messages were posted on LulzSec's Twitter account for ten hours after Cleary's arrest. Then as worldwide speculation grew about him being a lone wolf, a user came online to taunt: "Seems the glorious leader of LulzSec got arrested, it's all over now... wait... we're all still here! Which poor b*****d did they take down?"

Later, addressing law enforcement "clowns," the group insisted Cleary was a scapegoat. They said he is NOT a member and they merely use his computer server to house a legitimate chatroom.

The case prompted comparisons with that of another Briton, 45-year-old Gary McKinnon. He is wanted in the US for allegedly hacking into Pentagon and Nasa computers while searching for evidence of aliens. He faces 60 years in jail if he is extradited and convicted.

- DO you know Ryan Cleary? Call The Sun on 020 7782 4104 or email exclusive*the-sun.co.uk

Es*** geek Ryan Cleary 'is Sony hacker’ | The Sun |News