We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19, 2011,
certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account
information was compromised. As a result of what we have found
to date, we have:
1) Temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services;
2) Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and
complete investigation into what happened; and
3) Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network
infrastructure by rebuilding our system to provide you with greater
protection of your personal information.
We greatly appreciate your patience, understanding and goodwill as
we do whatever it takes to resolve these issues as quickly and efficiently
as practicable.
Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we
believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information
that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address,
birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN
online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase
history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation
Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained.
If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same
data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained.
While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was
taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your
credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an
abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number
(excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained.
For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email,
telephone and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive
information. 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.
Under Massachusetts law, you have the right to obtain any police report
filed in regard to this incident. If you are the victim of identity theft,
you also have the right to file a police report and obtain a copy of it.
Massachusetts law also allows consumers to place a security freeze on their
credit reports. A security freeze prohibits a credit reporting agency from
releasing any information from a consumer's credit report without written
authorization. However, please be aware that placing a security freeze on
your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prevent the timely approval
of any requests you make for new loans, credit mortgages, employment, housing
or other services.
If you have been a victim of identity theft, and you provide the credit
reporting agency with a valid police report, it cannot charge you to place,
lift or remove a security freeze. In all other cases, a credit reporting
agency may charge you up to $5.00 each to place, temporarily lift, or
permanently remove a security freeze.
To place a security freeze on your credit report, you must send a written
request to each of the three major consumer reporting agencies:
Equifax (www.equifax.com); Experian (www.experian.com); and
TransUnion (www.transunion.com) by regular, certified or overnight
mail at the addresses below:
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
Trans Union Security Freeze
Fraud Victim Assistance Department
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834
In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following
information:
1. Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security Number;
3. Date of birth;
4. If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses
where you have lived over the prior five (5) years;
5. Proof of current address such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card
(state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.)
7. If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the
police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency
concerning identity theft;
8. If you are not a victim of identity theft, include payment by check,
money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express or
Discover only). Do not send cash through the mail.
The credit reporting agencies have three (3) business days after receiving
your request to place a security freeze on your credit report. The credit
bureaus must also send written confirmation to you within five (5) business
days and provide you with a unique personal identification number (PIN)
or password, or both, that can be used by you to authorize the removal
or lifting of the security freeze.
To lift the security freeze in order to allow a specific entity or individual
access to your credit report, you must call or send a written request to the
credit reporting agencies by mail and include proper identification (name, address,
and social security number) and the PIN number or password provided to
you when you placed the security freeze as well as the identities of those
entities or individuals you would like to receive your credit report or the
specific period of time you want the credit report available. The
credit reporting agencies have three (3) business days after receiving
your request to lift the security freeze for those identified entities or
for the specified period of time.
To remove the security freeze, you must send a written request to each
of the three credit bureaus by mail and include proper identification
(name, address, and social security number) and the PIN number or
password provided to you when you placed the security freeze.
The credit bureaus have three (3) business days after receiving your
request to remove the security freeze.
We thank you for your patience as we complete our investigation of
this incident, and we regret any inconvenience. Our teams are working
around the clock on this, and services will be restored as soon as possible.
Sony takes information protection very seriously and will continue to work
to ensure that additional measures are taken to protect personally
identifiable information. Providing quality and secure entertainment
services to our customers is our utmost priority. Please contact us at
1-800-345-7669 should you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment