PSN Shutdown Indefinitely?!?

IMJ · Post by **IMJ** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 1:35 am

From Huffpost Tech

It seems that some friggin' hackers stole user information. Now I'm going to have to go over my credit card records. Unreal.

ian_house · Post by **ian_house** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:14 am

It's mental stuff and the last thing Sony needed with the problems they've been having. Sony had to shut down 5 gaming studios and halt development on a few games in the last month or so, this isn't going to help. Plus they aren't well loved in Japan anymore like they were in the old days. I honestly don't see Sony lasting more than a few years.

It's not just a little hacking either from what I've read. They've walked away with email, addresses, card details, passwords, DOB's etc.

IMJ · Post by **IMJ** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:18 am

I've really embraced the PS3 as much more than a gaming machine too. I've got one of the early models (80 gig) with all of the ports and functionality and I've really embraced it as a home media server on my network. I was really happy that they released such a progressive, versatile machine, but this is inexcusable.

What’s more is that all of Sony's statements have revolved around their promise that the network will be up again “soon”. Umm? Excuse me? Why is Sony reassuring us that the Network will be back up, rather than reassuring us that the data is safe, or that this will never happen again, or so on?

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:57 am

I've been reading about the network being down, but didn't think it would be this epic. I hope all of you guys that have the PS3 keep track of credit cards as IMJ is doing.

ian_house · Post by **ian_house** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:16 pm

Apparently 77m accounts hit.

The worst thing from what I'm reading is Sony don't hold themselves responsible at all for this, and I haven't seen a single apology in their statements.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 3:04 pm

ian_house wrote:Apparently 77m accounts hit.

The worst thing from what I'm reading is Sony don't hold themselves responsible at all for this, and I haven't seen a single apology in their statements.

Wow...so just who do they think is responsible?

superman-prime · Post by **superman-prime** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 6:52 pm

IanAlexavier · Post by **IanAlexavier** » Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:40 pm

Although I use my PS3 for games... I mainly use it for movies and listening to Pandora, ect..

Im pretty bummed about the PSN going down and losing data, what a bummer.

It sure was nice that Sony offered that for free for such a long time.. Maybe they will start charging after this?? 70 million users at even $1 a month is major change.

Not sure what will happen now

*SQUEE* · Post by ***SQUEE*** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:21 am

Got a email from them with more details. Looks like I have to change all my passwords

.

robb77 · Post by **robb77** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 4:40 am

sony have really screwed up, you would have thought that personal details like this would have been encrypted.

etos45 · Post by **etos45** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 8:46 am

IanAlexavier wrote:It sure was nice that Sony offered that for free for such a long time.. Maybe they will start charging after this?? 70 million users at even $1 a month is major change.

Not sure what will happen now

Well, you are assuming that the 77 million users will pay. I have (had) 2 accounts on my PS3 and I wouldn't pay a dime for either one because I never really use the online service. I'm sure that I'm not the only one out of the 77 million to feel that way, especially after this breach. I have been involved in two other data breaches in my lifetime and this is the first one that didn't offer a year of credit monitoring service to ensure nothing happens with the stolen data. Instead they send an email telling me I need to be more careful next time...

As for what will happen next, they'll lose some customers and then it'll blow over and go back to normal. Then later, when people get upset over something else Sony does, they'll bring this back up as evidence of why they suck so much.

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 10:56 am

I use my PS3 for it's blu-ray player and to play PS3 exclusive games which I ultimately have a hard time getting into. It was my backup system when the Xbox 360 had the RRoD issues back in the day.

I had heard about the hackers last weekend but did not realize that this was much more involved than shutting the network down. I was trying to get to my Vudu account before my free credit expired or I would not have been on the PS3 at all. It has never been a go to system for me because it didn't feel 'American' (for lack of a better descriptor) like the Xbox 360 does nor did it have a community feel like on Xbox Live.

It does have some pretty neat games though, like: iNfamous, Resistance, Heavenly Sword, Folklore and Lair but that is as far as it went for me.

I really hate that something like this was even possible. Makes one uneasy doesn't it ?

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:32 pm

IGN's take on the 'downage'...

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/116/1164340 ... mpid=ign40

ian_house · Post by **ian_house** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 6:19 am

Daniel Jackson wrote:
ian_house wrote:Apparently 77m accounts hit.

The worst thing from what I'm reading is Sony don't hold themselves responsible at all for this, and I haven't seen a single apology in their statements.
Wow...so just who do they think is responsible?

Probably Draco, he's a bit of a *SQUEE*.

etos45 · Post by **etos45** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 8:57 am

Knightt wrote:I use my PS3 for it's blu-ray player and to play PS3 exclusive games which I ultimately have a hard time getting into. It was my backup system when the Xbox 360 had the RRoD issues back in the day.

I had heard about the hackers last weekend but did not realize that this was much more involved than shutting the network down. I was trying to get to my Vudu account before my free credit expired or I would not have been on the PS3 at all. It has never been a go to system for me because it didn't feel 'American' (for lack of a better descriptor) like the Xbox 360 does nor did it have a community feel like on Xbox Live.

It does have some pretty neat games though, like: iNfamous, Resistance, Heavenly Sword, Folklore and Lair but that is as far as it went for me.

I really hate that something like this was even possible. Makes one uneasy doesn't it ?

I think my use of the PS3 echoes yours. I mainly watch blurays on it, sometimes NetFlix if the Xbox is acting funny. Other than that, I mainly bought it because I prefer the PS3 controller when playing Tony Hawk, and most of the Tony Hawk games have really sucked since the PS3's release. Resistance 1 was a great game, but I didn't care for part 2 very much. Little Big Planet is fun, and that's about it for me. My main reason for using the Xbox over PS3 is that I love the controller layout and feel and Xbox Live is just plain a better service. I'd rather pay for it than use PS3's free network.

As for how it could be possible to hack PSN, everything I've been reading has said that PS3 didn't have much in the way of security. The thought is that one of the new custom firmwares that have been released called "Rebug" made it possible to access the network. I'll have to look for that post and send a link, because it really was an interesting read into Sony's (lack of) security (2 Weeks before they were hacked, if I remember right).

Either way, it's going to be fun to watch this unfold...

etos45 · Post by **etos45** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:05 am

Yeah, found it... turns out the post was from 2/17, but it talks a lot about the lack of security on PSN and how they gather personal information and what they gather. If you have time, it's worth a read.

http://www.ps3hax.net/2011/02/call-of-p ... n-network/

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:14 am

etos45 wrote:Yeah, found it... turns out the post was from 2/17, but it talks a lot about the lack of security on PSN and how they gather personal information and what they gather. If you have time, it's worth a read.

http://www.ps3hax.net/2011/02/call-of-p ... n-network/

Ouch... I get the following bounce back from my work:

"The site you have requested has been blocked by Team CONUS (C-TNOSC/RCERT-CONUS) due to hostile content."

'hostile content', go figure.

You would think a technology leader like Sony WOULD have security measures in place. I mean they service HOW MANY people worldwide ? In today's identity theft world, I thought it would be a priority.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:22 am

It's a pretty lengthy article, but quite eye opening. Here's most of it.

Prologue

Due our objective research of the SONY PlayStation Network, we decrypted nearly 100% of the traffic transferred over proxies, http and https to and from the PSN. Just out of curiosity, not to harm anyone or anything and not like SONY may want people to see it. As SONY calls the scene hackers “evil”, we surely do not address pirates and skiddies, we wondered how SONY is treating
the users’ privacy and rights (remember the Music CD/DVD and USB stick rootkits). After we noticed a few badass functions they have built into the PSN/PS3 functionality, we just call it the “Call of Privacy: Modern Spyware” case.

Below we list and explain a few of the shady PSN functions and data mining stuff. And remember: EVERYONE has a right to know about YOUR OWN PRIVATE data being transferred over the networks !
Sensitive data

Even if a connection is SSL encrypted, companies are aware of the big risk behind custom CA files and it’s possibilities. SONY seems not to care about those known vulnerabilities. It is a big company and a HUGE network. With huge we mean a magnitude of hundreds and even thousands: the PSN utilizes thousands of servers, handled by a very small group of administrators and quality assurance people. (Copied from PS3Hax.net) The IP ranges and domains of these servers are retrievable by anyone, cause this is how the Internet works ! It is all public data and information ! An example is the credit card information and the login authentification itself.

Take a look at the traffic:
creditCard.paymentMethodId=CC_COMPANY&
creditCard.holderName=EXAMPLENAME&
creditCard.cardNumber=1234567890123456&
creditCard.expireYear=2012&creditCard.expireMonth=2&
creditCard.securityCode=123&
creditCard.address.address1=EXAMPLESTREET%2024%20&creditCard.address.city=EXAMPLECITY%20&
creditCard.address.province=EXAMPLEREGION%20&
creditCard.address.postalCode=12345%20
The credit card information should ALWAYS be encrypted. In ANY case. At least the security code. SONY is only relying on it’s https connection. With all those CFWs spreading around, this is not secure anymore. Same goes for the user details:
serviceid=IV0001-NPXS01001_00&
loginid=example@mail.com&
password=examplepassword&
first=true&
consoleid=EXAMPLEID123
Such sensitive data can now be captured by anyone who builds his own custom firmware with custom certificates. There are enough n00b-friendly tools by now. Means, little scriptkiddies can spread their little CFWs and phish user data. As many of these people are using a third party DNS, they are a potential victim of phishing. At the beginning of the PS3 launch, this user data was even transferred over http ! That being said, we continue with…
Information gathering

The PlayStation Network agreement states that SONY is allowed to collect nearly any data that is connected with your privacy.It is clear, that SONY won’t tell you WHAT they are collecting in the TOS etc., as many people would never accept that TOS. A few month ago we noticed the TOS silently beeing updated without a new user agreement request. It was about that you have the right to contact a “Data Protection Offier” at SCEE, who can can give you details about what data is collected. So we phoned SCEE. Beeing forwarded to many people, it turned out that there is no so called “Data Protection Officer”. Funny right? Shortly after this call, the clause was removed from the TOS. SONY itself told us, that they do not know, what we are talking about regarding this Officer.(Copied from PS3Hax.net) They told us, that there was never such a position inside SONY, neither a phone number. Even the address was non existing ! Still it is an impudence what huge amounts of data they are collecting. One example is an information list which is transfered everytime you login the PSN as well as at some random time.

A few short quotes:
TFT-TV
This is a string sent to SONY which includes your TV model. The list is long and contains a lot more like information about
attached USB devices, your home network, your playtime behaviour, installed games, apps, homebrews or their so called
“circumvention devices” and so on. Details about your Home network, statistics etc.
Modern user tracking we guess They try to make every PSN user transparent like a glass figurine. It seems that not only
the governments are going for such plans.

Knightt · Post by **Knightt** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:32 pm

Not a very well written article... but hey, I ain't not Englush magor, either.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 12:52 pm

The content is pretty scary though. Just shows a real lack of judgment on the part of Sony.

jridd28 · Post by **jridd28** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:05 pm

I think it would be a good time for another company to step in and create another gaming console. The PS3 is a quality product. No doubt about that. It plays BluRay and is 3D compatible. I think alot of their problem is they became complacent. They used to have alot of exclusive games, good games, that are now available on other consoles. While, not producing anything earthing shattering. Its been a dissapointment to say the least!

XBOX360......Where do I start? IMO, Its the biggest piece of *SQUEE* system ever created. My 1st one lasted 9 Days before I encountered the "Ring of Death"! My 2nd XBOX360 lasted 47 Days, again, "Ring of Death"! My 3rd XBOX360 lasted a little over 1 year before, once again, "Ring of Death"!!! There was no 4th XBOX360!!! Between me and 2 other friends, we have gone through 10 XBOX306s!!! Thats insane! I love it when people debate how many more XBOX360s have sold than PS3s!!!! No *SQUEE*, they have sold more!!!!! You had to have bought 5 of them if you bought the 1st ones in 2006 til now!!!!!!!!

The Wii definately gets some creative points! The whole interactive landscape was pretty neat at 1st!!! But lets be realistic, its a kids console, Bottom line. As much as I enjoyed Mario Kart, Super Mario Bros, etc, it still doesnt hold a flame to Red Dead Redemption, Dead Space, Call of Duty, etc. on XBOX or Playstation! I dont like the fact that it is not an HD Console! XBOX and Playstation caught up with the Interactive atmosphere,
WHATS holding the Wii back from going HD?

That is why I believe, IMO, its time for somebody to come in and shake things up a bit. Too much complacency in the big 3 and a little competition never hurt anyone! To each his own!!!!!!

David_Cody · Post by **David_Cody** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:45 pm

Dannnnng, heard about this, but didn't realize it was THIS bad.

Kinda sounds like Toyota when their braking systems failed. Well, we're not going to admit guilt nor are we going to offer any apologies, but...my bad.

Daniel Jackson · Post by **Daniel Jackson** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:35 pm

jridd28 wrote:I think it would be a good time for another company to step in and create another gaming console. The PS3 is a quality product. No doubt about that. It plays BluRay and is 3D compatible. I think alot of their problem is they became complacent. They used to have alot of exclusive games, good games, that are now available on other consoles. While, not producing anything earthing shattering. Its been a dissapointment to say the least!

XBOX360......Where do I start? IMO, Its the biggest piece of *SQUEE* system ever created. My 1st one lasted 9 Days before I encountered the "Ring of Death"! My 2nd XBOX360 lasted 47 Days, again, "Ring of Death"! My 3rd XBOX360 lasted a little over 1 year before, once again, "Ring of Death"!!! There was no 4th XBOX360!!! Between me and 2 other friends, we have gone through 10 XBOX306s!!! Thats insane! I love it when people debate how many more XBOX360s have sold than PS3s!!!! No *SQUEE*, they have sold more!!!!! You had to have bought 5 of them if you bought the 1st ones in 2006 til now!!!!!!!!

The Wii definately gets some creative points! The whole interactive landscape was pretty neat at 1st!!! But lets be realistic, its a kids console, Bottom line. As much as I enjoyed Mario Kart, Super Mario Bros, etc, it still doesnt hold a flame to Red Dead Redemption, Dead Space, Call of Duty, etc. on XBOX or Playstation! I dont like the fact that it is not an HD Console! XBOX and Playstation caught up with the Interactive atmosphere,
WHATS holding the Wii back from going HD?

That is why I believe, IMO, its time for somebody to come in and shake things up a bit. Too much complacency in the big 3 and a little competition never hurt anyone! To each his own!!!!!!

Hmm... maybe it's time for Sega to take another stab it.

xodacia81 · Post by **xodacia81** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:24 pm

Daniel Jackson wrote:
jridd28 wrote:I think it would be a good time for another company to step in and create another gaming console. The PS3 is a quality product. No doubt about that. It plays BluRay and is 3D compatible. I think alot of their problem is they became complacent. They used to have alot of exclusive games, good games, that are now available on other consoles. While, not producing anything earthing shattering. Its been a dissapointment to say the least!

XBOX360......Where do I start? IMO, Its the biggest piece of *SQUEE* system ever created. My 1st one lasted 9 Days before I encountered the "Ring of Death"! My 2nd XBOX360 lasted 47 Days, again, "Ring of Death"! My 3rd XBOX360 lasted a little over 1 year before, once again, "Ring of Death"!!! There was no 4th XBOX360!!! Between me and 2 other friends, we have gone through 10 XBOX306s!!! Thats insane! I love it when people debate how many more XBOX360s have sold than PS3s!!!! No *SQUEE*, they have sold more!!!!! You had to have bought 5 of them if you bought the 1st ones in 2006 til now!!!!!!!!

The Wii definately gets some creative points! The whole interactive landscape was pretty neat at 1st!!! But lets be realistic, its a kids console, Bottom line. As much as I enjoyed Mario Kart, Super Mario Bros, etc, it still doesnt hold a flame to Red Dead Redemption, Dead Space, Call of Duty, etc. on XBOX or Playstation! I dont like the fact that it is not an HD Console! XBOX and Playstation caught up with the Interactive atmosphere,
WHATS holding the Wii back from going HD?

That is why I believe, IMO, its time for somebody to come in and shake things up a bit. Too much complacency in the big 3 and a little competition never hurt anyone! To each his own!!!!!!
Hmm... maybe it's time for Sega to take another stab it.

I'm not sure if Sega even has the finances to get back into the hardware game. They went through a major shrinkage when they bailed on the Dreamcast.

ian_house · Post by **ian_house** » Fri Apr 29, 2011 10:45 pm

xodacia81 wrote:
Daniel Jackson wrote:
jridd28 wrote:I think it would be a good time for another company to step in and create another gaming console. The PS3 is a quality product. No doubt about that. It plays BluRay and is 3D compatible. I think alot of their problem is they became complacent. They used to have alot of exclusive games, good games, that are now available on other consoles. While, not producing anything earthing shattering. Its been a dissapointment to say the least!

XBOX360......Where do I start? IMO, Its the biggest piece of *SQUEE* system ever created. My 1st one lasted 9 Days before I encountered the "Ring of Death"! My 2nd XBOX360 lasted 47 Days, again, "Ring of Death"! My 3rd XBOX360 lasted a little over 1 year before, once again, "Ring of Death"!!! There was no 4th XBOX360!!! Between me and 2 other friends, we have gone through 10 XBOX306s!!! Thats insane! I love it when people debate how many more XBOX360s have sold than PS3s!!!! No *SQUEE*, they have sold more!!!!! You had to have bought 5 of them if you bought the 1st ones in 2006 til now!!!!!!!!

The Wii definately gets some creative points! The whole interactive landscape was pretty neat at 1st!!! But lets be realistic, its a kids console, Bottom line. As much as I enjoyed Mario Kart, Super Mario Bros, etc, it still doesnt hold a flame to Red Dead Redemption, Dead Space, Call of Duty, etc. on XBOX or Playstation! I dont like the fact that it is not an HD Console! XBOX and Playstation caught up with the Interactive atmosphere,
WHATS holding the Wii back from going HD?

That is why I believe, IMO, its time for somebody to come in and shake things up a bit. Too much complacency in the big 3 and a little competition never hurt anyone! To each his own!!!!!!
Hmm... maybe it's time for Sega to take another stab it.
I'm not sure if Sega even has the finances to get back into the hardware game. They went through a major shrinkage when they bailed on the Dreamcast.

Not a chance. They also haven't directly created a great game in forever, all of their successes now come from funding smaller outsider studios.

I don't theres an obvious contender to step into the console market, its pretty heavily contended and it requires alot of investment and a high chance of failure. Apple are the only company that strike me as having the money and identity for it, but I don't think I'd buy an apple console.