SOE Answers Common Questions About Attack

While we all wait for the Sony Online Entertainment services to come back online following an attack on the network, SOE posted a brief FAQ today to keep players updated on the situation. While they don't provide any new details, SOE has said it will continue to post updates to the site with new information as it becomes available. 

According to the FAQ, some games and services are expected to be up and running "soon." SOE emphasizes that the services will only be restored once the network is secure. SOE spokewoman Taina Rodriguez told The San Diego Union-Tribune that the network will be shut down until Friday and possibly longer, so it certainly looks like players should remain patient during this downtime.

You can read the current FAQ after the jump. As a reminder, SOE has confirmed that hackers may have obtained personal information from SOE systems, so be wary of any phishing scams that you may receive through e-mail. SOE will be granting customers 30 days of additional time on their subscriptions, in addition to compensating them one day for each day the system is down.

During the downtime you are welcome to join us in ZAM's IRC chat. Feldon of EQ2Wire also has set up a ZAM IRC java applet that you can use.


Recent Updates - May 4, 2011

When will SOE's services be back online?

We have been working around the clock to restore operations as quickly as possible, and we expect to have some of our games and services up and running soon. However, we want to be very clear that we will only restore operations when we believe that the network is secure.

How is the SOE intrusion related to the PSN/Qriocity intrusion? Was this a second attack on SOE?

While the two systems are distinct and operated separately, given that they are both under the Sony umbrella, there is some degree of overlap in design. The attacks were similar in nature. This is NOT a second attack; new information has been discovered as part of our ongoing investigation into the criminal attack in April.

How is SOE planning to notify customers whose data may have been stolen?

We are sending out customer service notification emails to the email addresses we have on file for the accounts that were affected. These emails will be sent by Innovyx, our third party email distributor, and contained either 'soe.innovyx.net' or 'soe.sony.com' in the sender field.

SOE initially thought no data was extracted, what changed?

Essentially the perpetrators used sophisticated means not only to access the data, but also to cover their tracks. We committed to continue the investigation and in doing so, uncovered further information that we did not have when we initially believed the data was not stolen.

Comments

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New Attack
# May 06 2011 at 3:05 PM Rating: Decent
Maybe a new cyber-attacks against Sony planned.
This week, Sony has accused the hacker group Anonymous of being behind the data theft at the PlayStation Network. Now it seems that Sony must adjust to yet another attack. According to Cnet is planning a major cyber attack against Sony in the coming weekend.
The information comes from an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel for hackers and can not be confirmed, and it is unclear who is behind.

But the hackers claim they already have access to some of Sony's servers and they will now publish all or some of the personal information they obtain on the servers, including names, addresses and card numbers.

The attack was allegedly being punished for Sony's handling of the case regarding the recent data theft, where personal data on more than 100 million users are stolen.

Several weeks ago, the hacker group Anonymous of a so-called Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against several of Sony's websites in retaliation for Sony's lawsuit against the hacker George Hotz.

Two weeks later the PlayStation Network and Qriocity so struck by the large data theft, which forced Sony to close the service down. It is still not restored.

Anonymous has denied being responsible for data theft. Now it seems that the same hackers who stood behind data theft will implement a new attack on Sony. However, it can be difficult, because Sony has reportedly stepped up security lately, and now it actually warned in advance.

A spokesperson for Anonymous said now to journal.Sc magazine to Sony's claim that the hacker group is behind only a diversionary tactic to divert attention from the real perpetrators.

"Anonymous is not known to steal and sell credit card data, if we did the FBI had long since thrown himself upon us," says Barrett Brown.

He supposes that the perpetrators come from Eastern Europe.

Sony boss Howard Stringer has signed up to speak for the first time since the attack in a letter where he stresses that it still has no evidence that credit card data or other personal information was compromised.


http://extratorrent.com/article/1283/maybe+a+new+cyber+attacks+against+sony+planned.html


New Attack
# May 06 2011 at 3:15 PM Rating: Decent
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http://www.redmondpie.com/third-attack-on-sony-playstation-network-planned-for-this-weekend-report/

:(

Edited, May 6th 2011 2:16pm by Drazzminius
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IT IS OFFICIAL
# May 06 2011 at 2:58 PM Rating: Decent
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94 posts
SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT (SOE) IS NOT OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME.

They are sorry.

Stay tuned for any further development.

We Now Return to Your Regularly Scheduled Programming.
Just a thought
# May 06 2011 at 2:40 PM Rating: Decent
22 posts
When EQ2 came out, I did not buy it. I waited to see what others would say about it. I still have not bought it. All my friends came back to EQ. Now, SOE is putting all the crap from EQ2 into EQ.

EQnew, Will be the same thing. They will mess it up and everyone will come back to EQ. That is unless they keep messing it up with the EQ2 stuff.

All games that have a following do the same thing. They have to make a new one instead of improving the one they have that everyone plays.

Guild Wars, lots of people waiting for GW2.. They are putting GUNS into the game. I want to shoot stuff I'll go play Duke Nukem.

And Rift, Not impressed. Sorry just a copy of a bunch of other games.

I am for improving EQ, and not bringing out another NEWEQ. Everyone will just come back to EQ anyways... They always do.

Just a thought
# May 06 2011 at 3:13 PM Rating: Decent
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Yeah, I pretty much agree, but I see it more as a ‘last ditch effort’ to get people to play EQ. Those already branded faithful to the game will just adapt. We’ll ***** and moan…but we will accept it. Just like the GH/GL. Or like when the Bazaar was created. I think the housing thing and idiotic goofy mounts scream WoW/EQ2…but we adjust and accept.
Insult
# May 06 2011 at 2:19 PM Rating: Decent
I agree.

What I find most annoying is that those few times when I have been in contact with SOE I feel treated as an ignorant, a nuisance not worth more than those $12 that I pay them every month. In these 10 years me, and surely most of you, have been witnesses to the silent, cryptic, mystic presence of SOE as a superior power that secretly holds the mechanics of EQ as a treasure that they have to protect from us, as if we, their customers, were some kind of threat that they had to keep away. We have got used to the lack of information about game mechanics or other aspects of the game that we the players have considered important for enjoying this game that we love. In those cases I have thought that SOE not willing to share more information about the game was a protective measurement to warranty game stability and integrity and to hold player information safe. Now that I see how unsafe and vulnerable the system actually was I have no other choice than to look at SOE as a bunch of inept, arrogant, unprofessional %&#$^% that have been treating their faithful customers as if we were their pets.

Now they are paying the consequences!
No ETA
# May 06 2011 at 2:18 PM Rating: Decent
22 posts
The wait continues! Nobody giving an ETA! Back to Guild Wars for another day looks like.

As for SONY, I agree with some of the others, Let us know if you are going to be up this weekend. I don't think that is too much to ask..

( I wonder if Sony even has anyone in that little company so lacking in employes checking out what the customers are saying on Zam?)

ZAM!!! been over a day since you posted anything.. whats up?
No ETA
# May 06 2011 at 2:44 PM Rating: Decent
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Quote:
ZAM!!! been over a day since you posted anything.. whats up?


Ah oh... now Zam.com is getting zeroed in on. This is what Zam gets for trying to be helpful.
No ETA
# May 06 2011 at 2:49 PM Rating: Decent
22 posts
Was a question. They have been keeping stuff up to date real good.. No bammmmming ZAM
and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 1:38 PM Rating: Decent
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167 posts
{retracted to end the flame war}

Edited, May 7th 2011 8:24am by realgrumpy
and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 2:32 PM Rating: Decent
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Dude....you have issues.

Quote:
PROUD of your stone-faced strength during a crisis.



Serious issues.


Quote:
By their silence, Sony is wiping their a$$ with our Chinese business cards. (no insult to Chinese businessmen by my metaphor). Its bad enough to disrepect a business card but its as if Sony has taken that cultural disrespect to a despicable level.

I'm not even mad about the breach anymore

But I am starting to hate Sony


Seriously

Yes...because an online game going down is a Crisis!!!!!
OMG!!! Help Us Help US!!!
Can we get national TV coverage to help us out in these dire times? Maybe a few celebrities can join forces and have a charity or a SOE-a-Thon to help raise awareness and get the world to help us get the servers back online...now!~! It has been a whole 18 hours since they last told us….”Um, we are working on it”. Heck, it is as important for us to hear them say it…on an hourly basis!!! As we all know a MMO game going down is just like a Tsunami, Earthquake, Tornado or Hurricane wreaking unfathomable damage to human life and property. So updates should be on every media outlet known to mankind, including shortwave radio! I still don't see any info runnin in the ticker section of TV broadcasts...

Good god....I really hope to see The Onion run with this gem.
and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 6:20 PM Rating: Decent
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Moonlight55 wrote:
Yes...because an online game going down is a Crisis!!!!!
OMG!!! Help Us Help US!!!


I never compared an online game to a natural disaster.

At an estimated cost of $2B thats the equivalent of laying off 120,000 minimum wage workers to cover the cost. It is a business crisis.

Dont argue against something I never said. I never said anything about humanity or natural disasters.

I am talking about customers and business in a global economy.



and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 2:17 PM Rating: Decent
24 posts
Do you have down syndrome? Seriously? First off, they already announced that they do not expect the server to be up till at the very least Friday. So they dont really need to update us everyday saying; "Yup still not Friday Yet", "its still not Friday", "oh look, its Fri...oops not its not"...seriously, get a clue, and get a life, ok EQ is down and it sucks, but do you really lack that much of a social life that you cant deal with a week without EQ?
and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 6:23 PM Rating: Decent
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DAEIE wrote:
Do you have down syndrome? Seriously? First off, they already announced that they do not expect the server to be up till at the very least Friday.


Name calling is childish. And you are innacurate because you don't know what Down's Syndrome is.

Read my post again.

No....go back read it again......slowly so you can understand it.

At the time of my post (which context I included so as not to confuse such readers)I said clearly it was 18.5 hours since the last update.

That fact is accurate and the point of my complaint.

and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 2:13 PM Rating: Decent
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37 posts
Do you think that they will handle it any less than the Way they handled a Nueclear Catastrophy!Huh....
and still they insult their customers with their arrogance
# May 06 2011 at 2:10 PM Rating: Decent
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6 posts
Im not one to comment on things that folks say normally. I dont like to tell people what they should be doing with the sudden free time they have. to each their own.

But the guy that posted that long essay of how SOE isnt responding or commenting to customers.. if you were running SOE how would you respond? Seriously it is a no win situation here and I would probably remain silent as well as oppossed to open myself to more then i currently have on my plate. Be real dude there is nothing they can say to make it better other then perhaps giving us occasional heads up when the servers might be back up.

It really isnt a big deal to me.. yes they have our CC info but that is easy to counter. Most banks immediatly stop any strange transactions anyways (have had this happen when I was using my on CC overseas, had to call them and tell them it was me using it) unless you are super lazy and just dont wanna bother with protecting yourself.

Im sure they want the servers up asap, the biggest clue is that we get free days for each day its down, that cost them money this whole thing is going to cost them alot.. I just hope it doesnt go the extreme route and they shut down low pop games like EQ/EQ2 ect rather then bother with them.. bet they are wishing they had right about now. I can live without gaming.. I enjoy it and i enjoy EQ and still think its the best game out there for the money. Lets hope they keep it going until they come out with the real next EQ (eq3?? Ive heard rumors)
alternaives
# May 06 2011 at 1:31 PM Rating: Decent
i have tryed loading the free trial of lord of the rings apperntly one of my sisters has been playing for a while took 24 hours to download and i still cant get in and there help is if its possible worse than sony i keep sending emails askig why /what im doing wrong and nothing i wont to play sony and its been my pressur valve for a while
alternaives
# May 06 2011 at 3:18 PM Rating: Decent
22 posts
Maybe your willful negligence of basic sentence structure caused them to become lost in your "run-on-sentences-from-hell."

Add some punctuation. It might gain you better results.
alternaives
# May 06 2011 at 4:41 PM Rating: Decent
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ROTFLMAO... that was good.
Confused
# May 06 2011 at 1:00 PM Rating: Decent
I'm still a little confused as to why everyone lost the last two expansions before sony pulled the plug, I remember someone who just logged in saying "has anyone else lost 2 expansions ?" there was a few lol's and Boom find a safe place to camp you have 13mins, when i got booted the server sceen showed every server down and scrolling below was "you own 15 of 17 expansions", if it was credit card details they were after where did the expansions go? or was there a reason for SOE taking off the last two expasions before shutting down?
Confused
# May 06 2011 at 1:20 PM Rating: Decent
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In the past we have had the exact same symptoms when they brought down certain non-game systems for maintenance and left the game worlds running. SOE takes down its accounting servers and suddenly you are denied access to various zones because "this zone requires XXX expansion and you don't own XXX expansion".

My guess would be that when the message went out, SOE had already started its shutdown. The game servers were slated to be among the last to go in order to allow users a chance to get somewhere safe and log off.

People are confusing 2 issues
# May 06 2011 at 12:17 PM Rating: Decent
Was Sony a victim? Yes. Is Sony guilty of Negligence? Yes

Sony is not responsible for being a victim of a cyber attack. That said, Sony was irresponsibly negligent in providing customers with proper levels of data security. It is really just that simple. If the allegations regarding the Apache Web server tools are true, Sony is flat out guilty of gross negligence with a very lax attitude towards data security and they will be hammered for this lax attitude.

People are confusing 2 issues
# May 06 2011 at 12:42 PM Rating: Decent
What many folks don't understand about the larger Unix/Linux server systems is that the OS is far more hardware dependant than the desktop or laptop everyone uses for personal computing. Those operating systems take a more 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' approach than Windows. Yes, the version of server software reports to be 5 years old but it does not report what mods have been implimented since that release. Rather than instaling every newest patch and update one release day, the techs will scour the release notes for anything that may be applicable to thier particular application(s).

Put another way... those of you using whatever Windows version know what it's like to be hit by a stray email virus (a "compromise" of your system"). How many of you have windows update on full-auto, how many have actually read the patch release notes? You might be surprised at how many of those "updates" are in fact repairs for previous patches.

Until the laundry is done to full cycle we (the public) won't know anything more than what some hype-spewing ignorant reporter has to say. Sony should _not_ release specifics until the gate-crashers are dealt with lest they invite more to come to this party.

patience does pay............ eventually
Stringer Apologizes
# May 06 2011 at 11:51 AM Rating: Decent
But. but

He is sorry:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/06/us-sony-idUSTRE73R0Q320110506

"Stringer's comments, which did not specify when services would resume, come after criticism of his leadership since Sony revealed hackers had compromised the data of more than 100 million accounts used for accessing games and music over the Internet.

"As a company we - and I - apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused by this attack," Stringer said on Sony's U.S. PlayStation blog late on Thursday..."

Fairly long article. I just thought it was interesting as Stringer hadn't said squat previously.

Edited to send a big Hiya to Kiana/Calthine!

Edited, May 6th 2011 1:53pm by Pathetica
Stringer Apologizes
# May 06 2011 at 12:14 PM Rating: Decent
Those ID theft insurance policies are a good thing.. That was a good move to block those abulance chasing law firms. Looks like Everquest won't be getting shut down via friv lawsuits!! :)
hmmm
# May 06 2011 at 11:34 AM Rating: Decent
22 posts
I bet it was Al-quieda.
hmmm
# May 06 2011 at 5:05 PM Rating: Decent
i bet it was bin laden. he aint dead! or he's doing this from the grave! booga booga!!
the smart strat
# May 06 2011 at 10:41 AM Rating: Good
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344 posts
Now is the time to be racking up wife faction.
the smart strat
# May 06 2011 at 11:06 AM Rating: Decent
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Yes!
Very much so.

Or
GF/BF faction
Or
Family faction
Or
Life faction

There are a lot of things to do.

Pick one.
the smart strat
# May 06 2011 at 11:04 AM Rating: Excellent
21 posts
Wfie faction? There's too many quests involved! LOL
the smart strat
# May 06 2011 at 11:58 AM Rating: Good
I just stepped outside and was amazed how realistic the graphics were..

Being the noob I am, I made the mistake of not conning *An_Angry_Wasp* before walking by it.

Long story short, I managed to some raid experience today. Even if it was only skilling up with *Raid: Wasp and Hornet killer*. :(
From PSN's Blog
# May 06 2011 at 10:13 AM Rating: Good
Dunno if this will help anyone, but I noticed a few different posts on PSN's blog that seem relevant to SoE and EQ2: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/05/important-step-for-service-restoration/

The post (from May, 5'th) of interest partially reads,
Quote:
Today our global network and security teams at Sony Network Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment began the final stages of internal testing of the new system, an important step towards restoring PlayStation Network and Qriocity services.

From PSN's Blog
# May 06 2011 at 11:13 AM Rating: Decent
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Jamilneate wrote:
Dunno if this will help anyone, but I noticed a few different posts on PSN's blog that seem relevant to SoE and EQ2: http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/05/05/important-step-for-service-restoration/

The post (from May, 5'th) of interest partially reads,
Quote:
Today our global network and security teams at Sony Network Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment began the final stages of internal testing of the new system, an important step towards restoring PlayStation Network and Qriocity services.



Since we weren't locked out of our games when they went down, the connection is probably a bit ethereal. SNE/SCE may share or have shared a similar architechture and design in their systesms with SOE (something I doubt considering the differences in the product characteristics) and there are/were connections between the systems (probably through the accounting systems), they are, in fact, different systems.
NO MORE BS...
# May 06 2011 at 10:03 AM Rating: Default
Okay okay okay... all this bullsh*t aside, when the hell are the servers coming back up? Everyone has done what they are going to do regarding their own credit cards and stuff, now let's get the damn ball rolling here.

No one wants to hear any more nonsensical opinions and ignorant stories about what they heard about Sony from their grandma's barber's sister's boyfriend and blah blah blah. And no one (including Sony) cares that some dummass kid wants 5 free levels because he couldn't play this week. All anyone really wants to know is WHEN ARE THE EQ SERVERS COMING UP???

At first it was Tuesday night... then it was this morning (Friday)... so what's the real answer? Are you truly this incompetent, Sony? You fugged up! Fine! Fix it and let's move on for Christ's sake.
NO MORE BS...
# May 06 2011 at 12:03 PM Rating: Decent
20 posts
Wow McOgre, desperate much?
NO MORE BS...
# May 06 2011 at 10:58 AM Rating: Decent
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All I can say is, boy is this getting good. I would love to see the spastic frothing posts in here if Sony’s servers are down another week…or even longer. When I read most of the posts in here, I cannot help but have images of Wafflepwn come to mind.

Flashback to Animal House…Please remain calm, all is well. First you have the freaknuts who spazzed on the first day and those who want all sorts of freebees. You “HAD” the more sedate bunch of peeps who would try to rationalize the outage and let those other spastic ones know how ridiculous they sound…but who are now starting to crack since it has been FIVE WHOLE days of no EQ. Then you have the, what seems to be a very small minority, peeps who realize; hey this is very messed up and Sony is doing what they can as fast as they can. It is what it is and we will be able to play when they can bring it back up. That’s it, end of story. Game wise….we deserve NO compensation but they are giving 30 days free. Ok great. Stolen client info….that is a different story, and is being addressed by the class action.
wish they would update
# May 06 2011 at 10:02 AM Rating: Decent
I am glad Sony is taking time to fix the security but i wish they would update atleast tell us whats going on this weekend. I usually plan time to play EQ depending on whats going on with the kids although i am fairly addicted to the game my kids come first so planning is crucial to my playtime.
wish they would update
# May 06 2011 at 10:33 AM Rating: Decent
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Personally, I would plan on spending time with the kids.

Just turn off the computer and do the parent thing. In the evenings when the kids are in bed, duct taped to the ceiling, whatever, you can check the status of the game.



I can't read well.
# May 06 2011 at 9:58 AM Rating: Decent
22 posts
Maybe I can't read. But I thought the CC numbers they got were form 2007 and from accounts in Europe. My card changes every 2 years, so they can have my old number if they want it. The ID info is another story, (that can hurt people) but if you think about it, Other then you address an phone number (which is in the phone book) is most likely on Facebook. Your birth day,(age) Where u live, your kids names, etc. There is little that is not public somewhere. (I think that is why they came out with ID theft protection)

Usernames for the game, Well, there just made up words. Mike546, Sorrybutt33, Captavewitch, Bozoballs. so what. As soon as the game is up everyone will change passwords. So most the problem solved.

AS far as those that are going to leave the game for what ever reason. Less lag in the guild Lobby..

But they will be back. everyone comes back to Everquest. After 1 -5 years people come back..Must be a good game.
need my fix
# May 06 2011 at 9:49 AM Rating: Decent
was reading on yahoo news some hackers are talking about hacking sony again this weekend. they say they still have control of some of sony's servers.
need my fix
# May 06 2011 at 10:06 AM Rating: Decent
22 posts
How can they have control of a server that is off line. most likely being moved to a new location. With a 3rd party redoing the security, the FBI tracing anything that would move on the servers? Sounds like a good trick to me.
need my fix
# May 06 2011 at 11:51 AM Rating: Decent
was just relateing what i read on yahoo. but would suck if the hackers did bring em right back down when sony gets them up.
its friday
# May 06 2011 at 9:44 AM Rating: Decent
well friday will come and go with no playtime fasho
EQ
# May 06 2011 at 9:10 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
24 posts
Every one seems to forget SONY WAS HACKED-- THEY ARE THE VICTIM-- LIKE US - GO GET THE HACKERS- they should be punished like terrorists.

I can't wait to play again , like the rest, but put the blame where it belongs.

COOL!
# May 06 2011 at 9:03 AM Rating: Default
I think we are all overlooking an extremely important point here, while these hackers have taken away our playing time (meh) and people are getting really mad, and they have exposed a ton of CC info, HOW COOL IS THAT!? Those guys are totally bad **** hackers, taking down the services of a giant corporation.
And don't comment on this saying how I don't understand how serious this is that they have all these CC numbers. I am simply commenting that this situation could make a totally awesome movie.
Splash.

Edited, May 6th 2011 11:04am by thewarehouse41
COOL!
# May 06 2011 at 11:40 AM Rating: Decent
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While you might be able to portray Sony as Prince John and SOE as the Sherrif of Nottingham and make it stick, the people that hacked into SOE's systems are a far cry from Robin Hood. They are not robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. They are stealing from anyone and everyone they can and keeping it all for themselves.


Edited, May 6th 2011 1:46pm by Bariag
COOL!
# May 06 2011 at 9:40 AM Rating: Good
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absolutely nothing "cool" about it.

Might as well be mugging old ladies in a retirement home level of not cool.
Sony running 5 year old apache server...
# May 06 2011 at 8:41 AM Rating: Decent

If you try to access the eq2 homepage, you're greeted by:

Service Temporarily Unavailable

The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

Apache/2.2.3 Server at http://www.soe.com Port 80


Apache 2.2.3 is almost 5 years old. Here's the releases for Apache servers:

2.2.17: Released October 18, 2010
2.2.16: Released July 25, 2010
2.2.15: Released March 5, 2010
2.2.14: Released October 3, 2009
2.2.13: Released August 8, 2009
2.2.12: Released July 28, 2009
2.2.11: Released December 14, 2008
2.2.10: Released October 14, 2008
2.2.9 : Released June 14, 2008
2.2.8 : Released January 19, 2008
2.2.7 : Not released
2.2.6 : Released September 7, 2007
2.2.5 : Not released
2.2.4 : Released January 9, 2007
2.2.3 : Released July 28, 2006

And they're suprised they get hacked?
Sony running 5 year old apache server...
# May 06 2011 at 4:06 PM Rating: Decent
LMFAO!!!! wow just wow
Surprised
# May 06 2011 at 8:02 AM Rating: Decent
Actually surprised that none of the other online games have tried to take advantage of this attack by thieves. Send a blanket email out to all inactvie accounts for some game time - they will hit a lot of the soe players.

After all, everything is fair in love, war and the corporate bottom line

Edited, May 6th 2011 10:03am by eq2ctplayer
stop crying
# May 06 2011 at 7:30 AM Rating: Decent
people who are having difficulties in finding something else to do while servers are down have a more serious problem than SOE has.
End of May according to CNET
# May 06 2011 at 6:34 AM Rating: Decent
The whole issue is that SOE is not PCI compliant (security for personal credit card information)and they should be. If they were none of this would have happened. A lot of people assume that all companies are PCI compliant just because they are large multi national corporations but sadly not all of them are.
End of May according to CNET
# May 06 2011 at 6:59 AM Rating: Decent
sroslund wrote:
The whole issue is that SOE is not PCI compliant (security for personal credit card information)and they should be. If they were none of this would have happened. A lot of people assume that all companies are PCI compliant just because they are large multi national corporations but sadly not all of them are.


you are repeating yourself...

unless you have access to a validated document that proces this your are voicing an unfounded opinion.

I guess Valve's Steam, WoW, Master card, Visa and various Military nets are not PCI complioant either, since they have been broken into by thieves in the same method

Bottom line - no system is safe that has any outside connection to te world, from a network connection to a lowly USB port, if you want to make the system theif proof - lock in a room, disable all methods of input or output except for a mouse and keyboard and put it under 7x24x365 video observation by armed guards.
End of May according to CNET
# May 06 2011 at 8:05 AM Rating: Decent
PCI/DSS standards clearly dictate that all customer data, when "at rest" (i.e. on disk, in a database, etc.) needs to be encrypted: https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/pdfs/pci_fs_data_storage.pdf [pcisecuritystandards.org]: "Do use strong cryptography to render unreadable cardholder data that you store, and use other layered security technologies to minimize the risk of exploits by criminals" That Sony (and all the other businesses and institutions that have been hacked, left laptops to be stolen, etc.) don't do this is inexcusable. Had this data been properly encrypted, it would have been unusable to anyone. It's trivial to incorporate this encryption as a part of the design.
End of May according to CNET
# May 06 2011 at 9:44 AM Rating: Decent
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131 posts
so basically anyone who has been hacked is at fault , not the person doing the crime?

BS

no system or level of encryption is hack proof , reality check.
no victim is at fault for being victimized , reality check.
Audacity is cultural
# May 06 2011 at 6:01 AM Rating: Decent
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167 posts
SOE was the victim of a cyber-terrorist attack. I don't villify them for what happened. They were a victim in this.

What I am rather disgusted by, however, is their arrogant non-response.

Perhaps there is such a gaping cultural gap that Sony doesn't realize how they are hurting their image.

Perhaps in their mind, it is normal and expected to be stoic and aloof and not divulge information - perhaps they see that as a sign of weakness and "corporate silence" is such a way of life they don't even think about it.

THIS customer base however, lives in a culture where information is expected and anything less is a considered an insult and a show of arrogant disrepesect.

We should be seeing an active website, with updates a few times a day. We should have REAL estimates of what's left to do, how many people are working on it, what their BEST guess ETA is for services. There should be SOE employees trolling every forum out there and posting 8 hours a day while they sit at their desk. There should be press releases and announcements around the clock.

That is what our culture expects. Not a silent days-old website saying "we are working around the clock".

Just to make this point more real: I have guildies now who have quit the game, not because they are unable to play for a few days, but because they are deeply insulted by SOE/Sony's uncaring lack of response and information.

Edited, May 6th 2011 8:03am by realgrumpy
Audacity is cultural
# May 06 2011 at 9:11 AM Rating: Decent
I suspect it's a cultural thing.

Look how they handled the reactor fiasco after the tsunami, for crying out loud.

Same deal. Stand there insisting nothing is wrong, while everyone can see the house burning down behind you.
Audacity is cultural
# May 06 2011 at 8:37 AM Rating: Decent
I agree 100% with Realgrumpy. I couldnt of stated it better.
Audacity is cultural
# May 06 2011 at 6:41 AM Rating: Decent
Sony expects the total damage to be around $2 billion dollars when it is done and will be trying hard to recover from insurance companies. Insurance companies that insured SOE is already pointing to the incompetency of its security. Given all those shocking revelations about Sony's network security, I am not surprised about setting up a new web site for information. They probablby set one in their network and get hacked in a day. Yes, I agree. They could have used more information and specific information they floated out to newspapers and magazines in any kind of medium. It doesn't take that much time or effort to put more information on social medium. It just shows their view on addicts. It doesn't matter because we have addicts who will come to play anyway.
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