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Bad News: All Sony Online Games Taken Offline, Due to That Whole 'External Intrusion' Thing [UPDATED]

Do we all get free EverQuest accounts now?

UPDATE: Sony just sent out a press release explaining the reason for the SOE outage, confirming that user information was stolen from the SOE servers in two separate incidents on April 16th and April 17th, 2011. Apparently, most of it was from an outdated database that mostly held expired credit card info. So says the release in greater detail:

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information from approximately 24.6 million SOE accounts may have been stolen, as well as certain information from an outdated database from 2007.  The information from the outdated database that may have been stolen includes approximately 12,700 non-U.S. credit or debit card numbers and expiration dates (but not credit card security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.

So, if you live in America, good news everyone! Your SOE customer info is probably safe. As for the rest of the world? Bad news, everyone! Your (hopefully) old credit card/debit card info may have been compromised. There is additional info on the situation over at SOE's website, including steps to take if your information was, in fact, compromised.

--

They say "when it rains, it pours." For Sony, these past couple of weeks have been less a pour and more of an end-of- Deep Impact brand of killer tidal wave. With the PlayStation Network still down and Sony still working on repairing the service's infrastructure in the wake of the intrusion by hackers that maybe-involved-your-identity-getting-stolen-but-possibly-it-didn't-but-more-likely-it-did, now yet another bit of bad news has befallen the beleaguered publisher.

No Caption Provided
Sony Online Entertainment, the MMO arm of Sony's games division, put up notice today that it had taken down all of its online servers due to the "external intrusion" that Sony Computer Entertainment has been investigating relating to PSN. Though SOE's PC operations had thus far remained largely unaffected, intermittent website issues had been reported and acknowledged as early as April 21st, around the same time Sony opted to take the PlayStation Network down.

So reads the statement on Station.com:

"We have had to take the SOE service down temporarily. In the course of our investigation into the intrusion into our systems we have discovered an issue that warrants enough concern for us to take the service down effective immediately. We will provide an update later today (Monday)."

SOE would not elaborate on that statement when we asked.

SOE maintains a number of MMO franchises, including EverQuest, PlanetSide and DC Universe Online. While we don't know if the Monday timeframe is definite or just some kind of "high level ballpark estimate," we'll keep an eye on Station.com and update this story with new information that becomes available.
Alex Navarro on Google+

122 Comments

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Lind_L_Taylor

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Edited By Lind_L_Taylor

This is all just a scam to make sure no one can ever
have free online access to Sorny's shit ever again.
Probably Sorny hired someone to fuck it up to give
justification for jacking up prices to the masses.

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kmg90

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Edited By kmg90
@Druminator said:
" Ugh. No PSN for two weeks now. The worst thing for me is not being able to update some new games I got so they're kind of glitchy and cause my PS3 to freeze, fuckin' sucks!! "
Game updates are still operational, I just received Assassins Creed in the mail, never played before on my current system, it prompted for '1.10' update which it did download and install with out a hitch
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deactivated-64d26467db8de

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@Raven10:  Thanks!

I don't have a PS3 so I'm doing what I can to protect my info on Xbox Live, Steam, Apple, Amazon... damn. How many of my credit card numbers are floating around out there?
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Druminator

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Edited By Druminator

Ugh. No PSN for two weeks now. The worst thing for me is not being able to update some new games I got so they're kind of glitchy and cause my PS3 to freeze, fuckin' sucks!!

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Nomin

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Edited By Nomin

Okay, now, I'm feeling a tinsy bit of sympathy for this conglomerate multi-national corporation. Just a weensy bit. 

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thepantheon

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Edited By thepantheon

Nice try with that linked to Screened.com but I ain't fallin' for it, Gadget!!

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02sfraser

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Edited By 02sfraser

I live in the UK but got a new debit card recently do hopefully I'll be okay. I think they way Sony are handling this is terrible. I feel sorry for them but they just keep releasing 'maybe' and 'probably' answers which is no use. Customers need a definite answer when it involves their details being stolen!

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Maotou

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Edited By Maotou
@Swordfish9 said:
" Wat them Skynet are back!! "

 What!? I'm not prepared for this attack dammit!

  And in other news, Sony has been royally screwed up the arse yet again. Sony just can't catch a break can't they?
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DukeTogo

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Edited By DukeTogo

As if playing SWG for a month in 2003 was punishment enough, now this.

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SK2

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Edited By SK2

Sony keeps going back and forth in their statements and even though I'm unaffected by it, it's annoying me. I can only imagine what it's like for those who are affected by it and have to remain on their toes about their credit cards.

I think Sony needs to release facts before they start releasing speculation.

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Sooty

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Edited By Sooty
@McGhee_the_Insomniac said:
" If you were smart you would've canceled your card already anyway. "
Can't login to find what cards I have on there, been so long since I bought anything.

FFFFFFFFFF
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RsistncE

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Edited By RsistncE
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p_p_o_d

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Edited By p_p_o_d
Weird that someone would even bother attacking SOE.    most people including sony employees have forgotten it exists 



Also if I where the one investigating the recent sony hacks I would start looking at the 200 SOE employees fired a month ago.   










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McGhee

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Edited By McGhee

If you were smart you would've canceled your card already anyway.

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P_Pigly_Hogswine

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Edited By P_Pigly_Hogswine

So as an Australian who bought a PS3 in 2008 should I be worried? And when should I consider cannibalism?

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Matfei90

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Edited By Matfei90
@Ertard said:
" For fucks sake! I used my fucking credit card to sign up for DCUO. I cannot fucking believe how utterly terrible Sony are at handling their shit.

GAH
"
Same here... I thought I was safe as I've never bought anything through PSN, assuming it was limited to PSN.

Good job, Sony.
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Kordesh

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Edited By Kordesh

Why am I less than surprised at Sonys utter incompetency. This is why I canceled my card and got a new one regardless after the first issue.

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Lunar_Aura

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Edited By Lunar_Aura

Poor Sony. :(
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Caegn

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Edited By Caegn


Sony did say that they only just found out about the breach of SOE.  Strange as it sounds, I really hope they're lying.  Really REALLY hope they're just lying.

 

Cause the alternative is that two weeks went by after PSN got hacked, before it occured to them to check their other systems.  Really REALLY REALLY hope they're just lying.  The deception would piss me off, sure.  But the alternative is just sad.

 

How can a company that can be so good on the hardware end, suck so very much on the programming and PR ends?  Sometimes I feel sorry for the hardware devs there.  They live up to their part by making impressive stuff, only to watch the other departments butcher everything they touch.

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subyman

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Edited By subyman

Good god, they need to just pack it up and leave town.  It took them half a month to realize they were attacked?

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thenexus

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Edited By thenexus
@Cogzwell said:
" People don't just hack online networks! This isn't just a matter of Sony got unlucky, this is a matter of Sony let a lot of people get screwed do to lack of proper security infrastructure. If this isn't Sony's fault than why is it we never see crap like this happen to Xbox live or Steam? Oh yeah! because they have secure servers! (I'd assume) "
You are correct.
A hack means that someone attempts to modify/change/adapt/gain entry into something. To do so they exploit a bug/flaw/hole in the system to do so.

AS you indicate while it aint on and I feel for Sony clearly there has been some gaping wholes in their system to cause this and require the downtime and work to fix them.

I will have a guess that the playstation network and SEO service shared the same structure or some code/structure was very similar so that the same exploit could be applied.
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Raven10

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Edited By Raven10
@PureRok said:
" @Dtat said:
" Wow. Sony is going under after all this. "
Let's not overblow this. Sony doesn't just make video game consoles. This is a pretty big blow to their games division, but this is hardly something that could take the whole company down. "
Right now it doesn't look like it, but it was conceivable that if Sony had to pay repirations to 78 million PSN users as well as numerous government fines, the costs, which would exceed 25 billion, would be enough to sink the company. Sony's cash reserves are very, very, low after losing over $3 billion between the launch of the PS3 and last year. Most people don't realize how close the PS3 came to downing Sony. While the company does make other products, none of those products earn the company enough money to remain in business if the Playstation brand was to collapse.

According to recent reports and insider info, Sony would not be able to survive another debacle the size of the PS3. With billions already lost on the system, this is just going to pile up on it. In the end, the PS3 is going to be the most financially disastrous console in the history of videogames, actually outdoing the original Xbox unless Sony's fortunes turn around dramatically.
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TheKing

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Edited By TheKing

So, if you live in America, good news everyone! Your SOE customer info is probably safe.

WOOOO! USA! USA! USA!


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deerokus

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Edited By deerokus

While the card info is preusmably out of date, the Direct Debit info from 
Austria, Germany, Netherlands and Spain will contain bank account numbers and names and addresses.  Identity theft-tastic!

Presumably the EU will hit them with some heavy fines for that.

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Raven10

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Edited By Raven10

@Landru - SOE servers are not directly connected to PSN or the PS3. They are two separate entities. While it is conceivable that the hacking of one could lead to the hacking of the other, there would be no reason to initially assume that would be the case. In fact, it wasn't until last year that SOE became part of SCEA. For many years it was a completely autonomous entity that existed outside of the Playstation brand. What this means is that the hack has effected more Sony networks than previously expected. Shame. 

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priorityseven

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Edited By priorityseven

Jeez, what next Sony?  C'mon.

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skywing

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Edited By skywing

This shit is really getting bad.  Wow.

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hatking

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Edited By hatking
@PrivateIronTFU said:
"Have all 20 SOE users been informed of this? "


LOL...

 

Seriously though, I sort of feel bad for Sony.

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Brackynews

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Edited By Brackynews
@Kombat:
It seems worth repeating that SOE was far enough down the priority list compared to PSN and Qriosity that it took this long to confirm two attacks took place a week before they shut PSN down. It's like they can't afford the manpower or something? WhatisthisIdonteven seems insufficient.

At some point people are going to demand one-use credit card numbers so we don't have to keep cancelling cards after these breaches. The fellow I spoke with today was very pleasant about it. (Of course they have to be.)

Anyway, between Amazon and my local conveniece store, I'm well set for XBL/PSN/Wii/iTunes cards on demand, and likely it will save me some money having time to think twice about my purchases.
Now if Steam ever gets hacked, we're completely screwed.
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Scarlet_Rogue

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Edited By Scarlet_Rogue

This has gone from annoying to rage inducing.

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Cogzwell

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Edited By Cogzwell

People don't just hack online networks! This isn't just a matter of Sony got unlucky, this is a matter of Sony let a lot of people get screwed do to lack of proper security infrastructure. If this isn't Sony's fault than why is it we never see crap like this happen to Xbox live or Steam? Oh yeah! because they have secure servers! (I'd assume)

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thomasonfa

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Edited By thomasonfa

  
  

    Please Unhack into my PS3, Man!
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Marino

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Edited By Marino  Staff

I really hope no one steals all my gear from 2003.

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HarrySound

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Edited By HarrySound

I played SWG for many many months......Europe always got a bad deal from them and it's good to see it continue.


I will never touch a Sony product again.
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Moonshadow101

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Edited By Moonshadow101

Does this include SWG? If so, the entire intrusion has clearly been a nefarious plot by Bioware to smear their competition while TOR looms.

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megaplushie

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Edited By megaplushie

I wonder how many people are upset that Free Realms isn't working.

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Pop

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Edited By Pop

I can't remember if I have an account on a SOE, would they e-mail me if I had? and tell me that my info might be stolen?

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ApolloBob

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Edited By ApolloBob

At least I can be fairly certain Sony's E3 Presentation won't begin with any Kaz Hirai "The next generation doesn't start until we say it does" arrogant dick waving.

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citizenjp

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Edited By citizenjp

That sucks! SOE, you're crazy for that one.

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Gabriel

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Edited By Gabriel

Hackers should be drawn and quartered.

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SpicyRichter

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Edited By SpicyRichter

I wonder if other companies will take notes from this: don't anger hackers

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deactivated-5a1a3d3c6820c

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Shouldn't have skimped on security, eh?

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DougQuaid

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Edited By DougQuaid

Oh awesome! My info is probably safe.


..for fuck's sake.
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dezvous

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Edited By dezvous

This is an outright attack on us, the consumers, Sony's network just happens to be the platform. What a bunch of douchebags. The thing I wonder about most is, who the hell did this? I mean, I'd venture to guess that a large portion of the hacker community also happens to be gamers, wouldn't their info be compromised as well? That's what seems so strange about all this. Couldn't they potentially be putting themselves or friends and people they know at risk. 

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captain_clayman

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Edited By captain_clayman

man, tough times for sony.

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WinterSnowblind

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Edited By WinterSnowblind
@jking47 said:

" fuck yeah, go america, our shit is safe "

They're just waiting another week or so before telling you guys your stuff has been stolen for months.

Good show Sony, just when I thought they couldn't possibly screw up any more, they actually manage to do something even more stupid.
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craigbandicoot

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Edited By craigbandicoot

The fun never ends for Sony these days!

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nintendoeats

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Edited By nintendoeats

Wait, so the new data...was that encrypted as well?

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rjayb89

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Edited By rjayb89

America, fuck yeah?