Almost two weeks ago we reported that the PlayStation Network went offline. This was a reaction by Sony to a hacker breach into the PS3 and PSP’s online service, that caused 77 million PSN members’ personal data to be compromised.
PlayStation Network’s gaming, music and video services will be turned back on worldwide this week. Sony has announced they will take a series of immediate steps to enhance security across the network and will launch a customer appreciation program to thank its customers for their patience and loyalty.
About Sony’s “Welcome Back” Appreciation Program:
“While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, 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.
The company will also rollout the PlayStation Network and Qriocity “Welcome Back” program, to be offered worldwide, which will be tailored to specific markets to provide our consumers with a selection of service options and premium content as an expression of the company’s appreciation for their patience, support and continued loyalty.”
Central components of the “Welcome Back” program will include:
For those of you worried their credit card and other personal info was stolen, Sony today commented about security measures you can take:
“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 the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services are fully restored, we strongly recommend that you log on and change your password. Additionally, if you use your PlayStation Network or Qriocity user 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 continue to work with law enforcement and forensic experts to identify the criminals behind the attack. Once again, we apologize for causing users concern over this matter.”
PS: Personal info worries aside, you might be glad to know that your PSN friends list and trophies have been stored and will sync again once PSN comes back online.
For the full official press release with more details, check out the PlayStation Blog.
Update: It’s not coming back this week, maybe next week?