Sony Online Ent. Restores Services

Gamers who subscribe to any of Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE) games will now be able to access most of those services starting today. No doubt taking every security precaution necessary, SOE is performing a “phased restoration” which means that some services may not be available at the time of this writing. Subscribers will be able to access most online games, forums and Web sites. Players will also be able to reset their passwords for extra peace of mind.

This restoration follows a network-wide shutdown, which was a security response to a criminal cyber-attack that compromised subscribers’ sensitive information. After an investigation and several security enhancements and safeguards, SOE is welcoming its subscribers back with the assurance that their personal information is protected.

“Our main priority is the safety and security of our customers’ personal information,” said Kazuo Hirai, Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation. “We are making consumer data protection a full-time, company-wide commitment, and have applied enhanced security technologies so that our customers can feel protected and confident about playing our games.” Hirai added, “We are committed to delivering secure and entertaining games for players of all ages and thank each of our players for their patience and support during this difficult time.”

SOE will also be offering its customers a “Welcome Back” program that includes special game content and services to all registered Station Account holders. As part of this program, players will receive 30 days of additional game time plus one day for each day SOE’s services were down. The details of this program are available at http://www.soe.com/securityupdate/welcomeback/.

For more information about the SOE network intrusion and restoration, please visit http://www.soe.com/securityupdate.