Sony Playstation Network relaunches
By Chris Taylor
16/05/2011
Sony's hacked PlayStation Network (PSN) has been restored and is back online after myriad security tweaks, BBC News reports.
In a phased restoration, the US, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East will see many of the downed services come back after the security breach that plagued the company over three weeks ago.
The personal details of up to 77 million PSN users worldwide were compromised during the hack, leading many to believe their credit card details could be at risk.
Gamers have been encouraged to change common passwords that they may have used on the PlayStation Network - a service which allows them to play online - and check their financial statements carefully.
Sony's executive deputy president, Kazuo Hirai, has apologised for the breach and assured customers that "new and additional security measures" are now in place.
As part of the Japanese gaming giant's network management solutions; third-party security firms have been working hard on introducing increased encryption levels and additional firewalls to prevent further attacks.
"I'd like to send my sincere apologies for the inconvenience this incident has caused you, and want to thank you for all the kind patience you've shown as we worked through the restoration process," said Mr Hirai.
The company also stated that they are making "consumer protection a full-time, company-wide commitment".
According to Reghardware.com, as part of the fix, PSN users must download new firmware and change their passwords immediately. They will then be able to enjoy most PSN features, including PS3/ PSP gaming, PlayStation Home and subscription services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer and LoveFilm.
