Image by Getty Images via @daylifeSee the full Article at the link below. If your on PS3 stay up on your records and bank accounts. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-20060661-83.html
The letter, which is embedded below, says that the systems involved use 130 servers and 50 distinct software programs. Sony first noticed the attack on April 19, when its network team discovered that several PlayStation Network servers had rebooted themselves unexpectedly. Four servers were immediately taken offline in order to figure out what was going on. By the next day, it was clear that another six had been attacked, and they were taken offline as well. By April 23, computer forensic teams confirmed that intruders had used what Sony describes as "very sophisticated and aggressive techniques to obtain unauthorized access to the servers and hide their presence from the system administrators" and had deleted log files showing the footprints of where in the system they had been. By April 24, Sony had hired three different computer security firms to investigate the attack.
By April 25, it had determined that the attack had involved some credit card accounts. Consumers were notified the next day, though Sony did not know initially that the credit card accounts had been compromised. The Wall Street Journal has a play-by-play.
The letter also says that Sony had stored approximately 12.3 million active and expired credit cards, approximately 5.6 million of which belonged to customers in the U.S.
"We of course deeply regret that this incident has occured and have apologized to our customers," Hirai wrote. "We believe we are taking aggressive action to right what you correctly perceive is a grievous wrong against our consumers: a wrong that is the result of a malicious, sophisticated and well orchestrated criminal attack on us and our consumers."
Earlier in the day, rumors of a third attack circulated in online chat rooms, but those reports couldn't be independently confirmed. Another attack couldn't come at a worse time for Sony. Analysts are estimating that cleaning up the damage from the first two could cost the company $1 billion or more before the incident is fully resolved.
Earlier this week people claiming to represent Anonymous denied any role in the theft of credit card numbers from Sony. However, Sony said in a letter to Congress that a text file containing a catch phrase often invoked by Anonymous and intended to taunt the company was left behind by the attackers. On Monday, Sony disclosed that the attack had involved not only its PlayStation Gaming Network, which has been offline since April 20, but also its Sony Online Entertainment division, which includes online games like Everquest and Star Wars: Galaxies.
Sony's letter to Sen. Blumenthal is here.
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