SOE HAVE Taken All Of Their Game Services Offline Due To Hacks

CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTIFICATION
May 2, 2011


Dear Valued Sony Online Entertainment Customer:
Our ongoing investigation of illegal intrusions into Sony Online Entertainment systems has discovered that hackers may have obtained personal customer information from SOE systems. We are today advising you that the personal information you provided us in connection with your SOE account may have been stolen in a cyber-attack. Stolen information includes, to the extent you provided it to us, the following: name, address (city, state, zip, country), email address, gender, birthdate, phone number, login name and hashed password.

Customers outside the United States should be advised that we further discovered evidence that information from an outdated database from 2007 containing approximately 12,700 non-US customer credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security codes) and about 10,700 direct debit records listing bank account numbers of certain customers in Germany, Austria, Netherlands and Spain may have also been obtained. We will be notifying each of those customers promptly.

There is no evidence that our main credit card database was compromised. It is in a completely separate and secured environment.

We had previously believed that SOE customer data had not been obtained in the cyber-attacks on the company, but on May 1st we concluded that SOE account information may have been stolen and we are notifying you as soon as possible.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the attack and as a result, we have:

1) Temporarily turned off all SOE game services;

2) Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened; and

3) Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.

We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill as we do whatever it takes to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently as practicable.

For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking. When SOE's services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your Station or SOE game account name or password for other unrelated services or accounts, we strongly recommend that you change them, as well.

To protect against possible identity theft or other financial loss, we encourage you to remain vigilant, to review your account statements and to monitor your credit reports. We are providing the following information for those who wish to consider it:

U.S. residents are entitled under U.S. law to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free (877) 322-8228.

We have also provided names and contact information for the three major U.S. credit bureaus below. At no charge, U.S. residents can have these credit bureaus place a "fraud alert" on your file that alerts creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity prior to granting credit in your name. This service can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name. Note, however, that because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you, it also may delay your ability to obtain credit while the agency verifies your identity. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the others are notified to place fraud alerts on your file. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, or should you have any questions regarding your credit report, please contact any one of the agencies listed below.

Experian: 888-397-3742; www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
Equifax: 800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
TransUnion: 800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

You may wish to visit the web site of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or reach the FTC at 1-877-382-4357 or 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580 for further information about how to protect yourself from identity theft. Your state Attorney General may also have advice on preventing identity theft, and you should report instances of known or suspected identity theft to law enforcement, your State Attorney General, and the FTC. For North Carolina residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; telephone (877) 566-7226; or www.ncdoj.gov. For Maryland residents, the Attorney General can be contacted at 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; telephone: (888) 743-0023; or www.oag.state.md.us.

We are committed to helping our customers protect their personal data and we will provide a complimentary offering to assist users in enrolling in identity theft protection services and/or similar programs. The implementation will be at a local level and further details will be made available shortly in regions in which such programs are commonly utilized.

We thank you for your patience as we complete our investigation of this incident, and we regret any inconvenience. Our teams are working around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible. Sony takes information protection very seriously and will continue to work to ensure that additional measures are taken to protect personally identifiable information. Providing quality and secure entertainment services to our customers is our utmost priority. Please contact us at 1 (866) 436-6698 should you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,

Sony Online Entertainment LLC

PRESS RELEASE

SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES THEFT OF DATA FROM ITS SYSTEMS
Breach Believed to Stem From Initial Criminal Hack of SOE

Tokyo, May 3, 2011 - Sony Corporation and Sony Computer Entertainment announced today that their ongoing investigation of illegal intrusions into Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE, the company) systems revealed yesterday morning (May 2, Tokyo time) that hackers may have stolen SOE customer information on April 16th and 17th, 2011 (PDT). SOE is based in San Diego, California, U.S.A.

This information, which was discovered by engineers and security consultants reviewing SOE systems, showed that personal information from approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts may have been stolen, as well as certain information from an outdated database from 2007. The information from the outdated database that may have been stolen includes approximately 12,700 non-U.S. credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security codes), and about 10,700 direct debit records of certain customers in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain.

With the current outage of the PlayStation® Network and Qriocity™ services and the ongoing investigation into the recent attacks, SOE had also undertaken an intensive investigation into its system. Upon discovery of this additional information, the company promptly shut down all servers related to SOE services while continuing to review and upgrade all of its online security systems in the face of these unprecedented cyber-attacks.

On May 1, Sony apologized to its customers for the inconvenience caused by its network services outages. The company is working with the FBI and continuing its own full investigation while working to restore all services.

Sony is making this disclosure as quickly as possible after the discovery of the theft, and the company has posted information on its website and will send e-mails to all consumers whose data may have been stolen.

The personal information of the approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts that was illegally obtained, to the extent it had been provided to SOE, is as follows:
name
address
e-mail address
birthdate
gender
phone number
login name
hashed password.

In addition to the information above, the 10,700 direct debit records from accounts in Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain, include:
bank account number
customer name
account name
customer address.

SOE will grant customers 30 days of additional time on their subscriptions, in addition to compensating them one day for each day the system is down. It is also in the process of outlining a "make good" plan for its PlayStation®3 MMOs (DC Universe Online and Free Realms). More information will be released this week.

Additionally, the company is committed to helping its customers protect their personal data and will provide a complimentary offering to assist users in enrolling in identity theft protection services and/or similar programs. The implementation will be at a local level and further details will be made available shortly in each region.

Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) has been a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games since 1999. Best known for its blockbuster hits and franchises, including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, PlanetSide®, Free Realms®, Clone Wars Adventures™, and DC Universe Online™, SOE creates, develops and provides compelling online entertainment for virtually all platforms, including the PlayStation®3 Computer Entertainment System, Personal Computer, mobile and social networks. SOE is building on its proven legacy and pioneering the future of the interactive entertainment space through creative development and inspired gameplay design for audiences of all ages. To learn more, visit www.soe.com.

For more information and update about the SOE services, please visit www.soe.com/securityupdate.

About Sony Corporation
Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, game, communications, key device and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. With its music, pictures, computer entertainment and on-line businesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the leading electronics and entertainment company in the world. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of approximately $78 billion for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. Sony Global Web Site: http://www.sony.net/

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufactures, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP is a handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3 is an advanced computer system, incorporating the state-of-the-art Cell processor with super computer like power. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, SCEI is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

wow, didn't realise it'd effected all the online games as well as the playstation one.

Neither did they until they had finnished their review on 1st may, that's why the website, forums and all games are offline atm, bloody annoying, i wanted to log on to swg today to redeed all my harvesters take down all my vendors and condense everything into less houses so i can cancel my accounts.

Beli wrote:Neither did they until they had finnished their review on 1st may, that's why the website, forums and all games are offline atm, bloody annoying, i wanted to log on to swg today to redeed all my harvesters take down all my vendors and condense everything into less houses so i can cancel my accounts.

at least free time should help a little as compensation?

the bigger question is though, when they will be able to get everything back up and running??

Here's an interesting bit of information I came across regarding the PSN. I'm assuming that this may go the same for all SOE games as well.

PSN may stay offline until May 31

Deklen Caliban wrote:Here's an interesting bit of information I came across regarding the PSN. I'm assuming that this may go the same for all SOE games as well.

PSN may stay offline until May 31

is swg still offline then??
I'm still arguing with my ISP after they said the line had been repaired...

They're posting updates here ...

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Official-Star-Wars-Galaxies-Page/157504535812

Doesn't look it's going to be soon.

you're all looking at the 31st of this month at the current state of things.



thats if SOE are going for the same time as the PSN

Synn wrote:you're all looking at the 31st of this month at the current state of things.



thats if SOE are going for the same time as the PSN

Deklans link is to an article written by somebody with 3rd or 4th hand information, and it is written entirely out of context and not using the words SOE actually used. What SOE have said is that they are aiming to have ALL games on all platforms back up and wunning BY May 31st. Some of the PSN games are infact already up and running as we speak and DC universe is due to come online again anytime in the next few days apparently.

Beli wrote:
Deklans link is to an article written by somebody with 3rd or 4th hand information, and it is written entirely out of context and not using the words SOE actually used. What SOE have said is that they are aiming to have ALL games on all platforms back up and wunning BY May 31st. Some of the PSN games are infact already up and running as we speak and DC universe is due to come online again anytime in the next few days apparently.

I still want to try DC tbh.... my computer isn't good enough (and they are still pissing about with my internet )

saiana wrote:

Beli wrote:
Deklans link is to an article written by somebody with 3rd or 4th hand information, and it is written entirely out of context and not using the words SOE actually used. What SOE have said is that they are aiming to have ALL games on all platforms back up and wunning BY May 31st. Some of the PSN games are infact already up and running as we speak and DC universe is due to come online again anytime in the next few days apparently.

I still want to try DC tbh.... my computer isn't good enough (and they are still pissing about with my internet )

I wouldn't bother to be honest, from what i hear it's absolutely terrible, you're far better off playing CoH or CoV if you want a superhero MMO.

Beli wrote:

saiana wrote:

Beli wrote:
Deklans link is to an article written by somebody with 3rd or 4th hand information, and it is written entirely out of context and not using the words SOE actually used. What SOE have said is that they are aiming to have ALL games on all platforms back up and wunning BY May 31st. Some of the PSN games are infact already up and running as we speak and DC universe is due to come online again anytime in the next few days apparently.

I still want to try DC tbh.... my computer isn't good enough (and they are still pissing about with my internet )

I wouldn't bother to be honest, from what i hear it's absolutely terrible, you're far better off playing CoH or CoV if you want a superhero MMO.

I participated in the beta of DC Universe, I was excited as from what I read, it appeared like there would be a lot of freedom and customization. Having tried Champions Online a year or two earlier, I was hoping for more customization, creating your own powers and the likes. I was dissapointed to learn that DC Universe had even less means of customizing your character than the failing-in-popularity superhero MMO Champions Online. There is such a set/fixed number and choice of abilities that everyone is very alike, and the variation in custome choice is a joke. Furthermore it lacked content, but ofcourse I played during the beta, and content is usually added after the release aswell. It was a path of quests that more or less had to be followed in order to level, comparable to the SWG Legacy I guess. Apart from a lot of recommendations on how to improve the game (some being implemented) and bug reports, I had no interest in the game anymore. I followed its production after the release and a lot of promises (basicly what would have made the game amazing) were discarded, never realised. So yea, if you are looking for a superhero MMO, I would start looking at the more developed ones, either CoH/CoV or Champions Online (which appeals more to some than CoH).

I like the idea of the superhero MMO tbh, I tried city of heroes quote a while ago now, but it was just lacking... no real stories that I could see, just a "go here, fight them" and leave again philosophy, I mean I know that most if not all games will follow a similar idea but at least if they embellish the story a little and have some longer arcs etc,
plus back when I played it it could get laggy as hell!!!! think Restuss on a day when everyone on the server was there and no where else! lol.
I tried a demo thingy of that Champions online and tbh it just felt very similar to CoH, even down to the outfits and stuff... and again I know to an extent that there are only limited options avaliable in any game, but again compairing to swg it just seemed that with the additional colours, shapes, tones, etc etc there seemed a little more variety than some games seem to offer.

I don't know if I'm just being picky or something, but in some respect I think a 'superhero' MMO based in more of a 'Heroes' style universe would bring out the best of it. I mean you could still probably develop some costumes and stuff, but I think it would be nice to start with a power and have it develop, imagine if you completed a basic questionare that would define your powers a little for you.

then again tbh I think it would just be nice if I could actually have super powers!! lol

Marvel has announced that they are developing an MMO that should be out sometime in the near future.

Personally. I'd like to see a MMO based off the recent TV show " Game of Thrones "

However, to really be magical. A Mass Effect MMO.

Jeraan Taruk wrote:Marvel has announced that they are developing an MMO that should be out sometime in the near future.

I find that odd, as Champions Online (formerly known as Marvel Universe Online) is Marvel's. (developed by cryptic) Unless they realised it is 'meh' and want to take another shot at it

Still weird though!

> Personally. I'd like to see a MMO based off the recent TV show " Game of Thrones "
>
> However, to really be magical. A Mass Effect MMO.

I would kill for a true cyberpunk/serious SF MMORPG - I am thinking of a game like Deus Ex, only in MMO format. The new Deus Ex: Human Revolution seems really nice both in terms of abilities/mechanics and mood/plot, but somehow I just don't really care for single player games anymore :/

Game of thrones has gotten a bit better since it started lol, at the start it just seemed like incent and confusion lol. plus they have a funny horny dwarf! hehe

i heard they are doing a Fallout MMO, that was an alright game, but Champions I thought was done as a bit of a stand alone thing? from what I saw there was no reference to any established superheroes?

they should do a Babylon 5 MMO!!! that was kickass, none of the nambypamby 'federation of planets' hippiefest that is star trek, they had coruption, kickass ships that seemed to obey the law of physics etc

mass effect is cool, but I dunno how well it would work as an MMO... could do, but I just imagine half of what makes it mass effect would be lost in transistion

Andromeda MMO !

Champions Online is free to play now btw kids

guy I have on steam just told me that he recieved a mail on that his account was one of the stolen ones.

OK guys, bad news from me, i won't be coming back to SWG. Going by their latest report SOE just simply don't give a shit about the SwG players, just look at the list of goodiees all their other games are getting compared to the single slave I statue we will be getting.

I think it's blatently obvious that SOE view us as the red headed step child and don't give a flying monkey about us.

This blatent disgregard is telling me that to put it simple that SWG will be going down the crapper soon due to the apethy and neglect of SOE, I will be jumping ship just as soon as i can access my subscription to cancel and i won't be back.

If anyone wants to get hold of me i'll probably be lurking here for some time, or if you play LotR:O then you can contact me on EN-Laurilen server on the character Belidos.

Screw you SOE!

EDIT: Just to clarify, it's nothing to do with wanting more, it's all to do with seeing that other games got more and realising that they obviously think less of us than they do the others.

Beli wrote:
I think it's blatently obvious that SOE view us as the red headed step child and don't give a flying monkey about us.

so they thing SWG players have no souls!!!

but I agree for the most part, but I think it's gone that way for a little while, updates have meant less, alot of the things people have been asking for on the forums are just overlooked (space expansion, additional content) I mean how long have RPers asked for controlable instances!? imagine the scope for some aspects! your own ISD run as you want it!
altho looking back did anyone else feel that the ISD felt smaller than the corvette..?

hopefully I have a man coming out monday to fianlly sort a fault in my line so I'll be able to get back on the interwebs
Think I have lotr ready to go but was never able to test it!

bring back the good old days!!! lol

A lot of people share your opinion Beli from what I read, and I think this is another, and probably the biggest step towards the definite end of SWG. The release of DCU which failed (despite being released with barely any competitors, and despite the already big base of existing fans of the marvel comics) has rendered the studio unable to profit from it. One third of the workforce has been fired over the year, and I don't see them maintain SWG for the fastly diminishing base of players that are still subscribed. Unless they keep SWG alive for the considerably small money they can still pull out of it. As for a large number of SOE customers, I think they are done with SOE, and will most likely take a little break and wait for TOR, makes me wonder what will be left of the amount of players?