User Data, Playstation Network | featured news

Sony says it has detected a large number of unauthorized attempts to access user accounts on its PlayStation Network and other online entertainment services.

Sony is reportedly attempting to avoid testifying before Congress later this week, after the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade asked the company to answer questions regarding its failure to protect the PlayStation Network from hackers. The memo distributed to subcommittee members suggests the hearing is designed to explore "risks related to data breaches" and data security practices utilized by the industry.

Sony Corp. said Monday that hackers may have taken personal information from an additional 24.6 million user accounts after a review of the recent PlayStation Network breach found an intrusion at a division that makes multiplayer online games. The data breach comes on top of the 77 million PlayStation accounts it has already said were jeopardized by a malicious intrusion.

Sony has taken its SOE multiplayer system offline as part of the ongoing investigation into the PlayStation Network hack.

Sony said it would resume some PlayStation Network services this week and offer some free content to attract users back after a huge security breach that allowed the theft of personal information belonging to 77 million accounts.

Sony's No. 2 exec, Kazuo Hirai, will brief media on Sunday about a huge security breach of its PlayStation Network, the first time an executive of the Japanese electronics giant will publicly address the case, which could prompt global legal actions.