AfterDawn: Tech news

Expert: Sony's network is still not secure, almost one month later

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 14 May 2011 3:19 User comments (17)

Expert: Sony's network is still not secure, almost one month later According to Internet security expert John Bumgarner, Sony's computer networks are still not fully secured, even 28 days after hackers attacked the PSN and SOE, compromising the personal data of 101 million gamers.
Bumgarner says he found "a handful of security flaws" in the company's networks while studying its systems online. The security expert apparently found a "potential bonanza for hackers by using little more than a web browser, Google's search engine and a basic understanding of Internet security systems."

The expert knows what he is talking about, being the chief technology officer for the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit and a U.S. military special operations veteran.

Over the past week, Bumgarner says that Sony did fix three of the five flaws he had found.

Several glaring flaws still remain, however, and that is without the expert trying to break into password-protected sites or exploit any vulnerabilities.



As a small compromise for the downtime, Sony is offering all users 1 free year of identity theft protection and insurance, two free PS3 games, and a free month to PlayStation Plus.

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17 user comments

114.5.2011 17:51

In light of the other news thread and related conversation threads some have said sony was secure, i think this shows sony is negligent in not securing there network. As a result i for one would love to see sony get the full wrath of the law for not securing there stuff even after such a security breach... Seems it might be the only way sony and hopefully other companies will learn.

214.5.2011 18:34

Not sure what Sony plans to do for non-paying customers, but at this rate for paying customers (of Playstation plus for example) the 'free month' won't even cover what they have lost. They're gonna have to up the insentive if they want to keep subscribers.

314.5.2011 19:18

The real kick in the teeth is the weeks of the corporate lie-machine that has soft-soaped and downplayed every stage of this right up to them admitting people's credit card details had been compromised.

Why would anyone trust a word they say now?

414.5.2011 22:38
Blackwater
Unverified new user

Well thanks for letting the hackers know that there's still fun to be had, edited by ddp

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 14 May 2011 @ 11:46

514.5.2011 22:49
BJ
Unverified new user

Originally posted by CNDLG:
Not sure what Sony plans to do for non-paying customers, but at this rate for paying customers (of Playstation plus for example) the 'free month' won't even cover what they have lost. They're gonna have to up the insentive if they want to keep subscribers.

I agree with you completely. In the end it's just a trick to make more money once your free month runs out. I read somewhere that they will be giving us two free PlayStation games, let's hope they're good.

I hope my beer doesn't run out before PSN comes online in my state. :P

I NEED MY CODCAIN BACK!

615.5.2011 01:13

back on haters move on people whats done is done. what I find strange is no one mentions the guys who stole your data you just go on about Sony. if he knows what he is talking about how come a dyslexic brit was hacking the pentagon for months.

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 May 2011 @ 1:19

715.5.2011 01:17
delmonte12
Unverified new user

bac online in indianapolis

815.5.2011 04:40
tombarrett212
Unverified new user

Yeah its really been awful as i use my ps3 to its full potential. Hulu is all we watch here(and stream torrents).#%@! cable. On three lcd's in the house there is absolutely nothing to watch on any TV. Not to mention not being able to play online. Im not a lazy person but not having any tv to watch for a month sucked. I think we should get to choose atleast a few free games and maybe a few months of PSN plus wouldn't be too much to ask for the inconvenience of having to switch credit cards, passwords for all the financial and entertainment institutions i use.

915.5.2011 08:05

"Sony is offering all users 1 free year of identity theft protection and insurance, two free PS3 games, and a free month to PlayStation Plus."

That is wrong as the ID theft protection is only valid for US people.

If your outside the US it doesn't apply.

News sites should point this out.

1015.5.2011 11:13

Originally posted by xtago:
"Sony is offering all users 1 free year of identity theft protection and insurance, two free PS3 games, and a free month to PlayStation Plus."

That is wrong as the ID theft protection is only valid for US people.

If your outside the US it doesn't apply.

News sites should point this out.

Don't read the "fine print", i bet that is what sony is saying :)

Besides, if you or anyone you know has needed to deal with identity theft, you would know it is a huge, enormous, painful, excruciating process. I would rather pay a couple months of sony's network, buy 10 games then be hit by it.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 15 May 2011 @ 11:22

1115.5.2011 13:23

Originally posted by xtago:
"Sony is offering all users 1 free year of identity theft protection and insurance, two free PS3 games, and a free month to PlayStation Plus."

That is wrong as the ID theft protection is only valid for US people.

If your outside the US it doesn't apply.

News sites should point this out.

This is untrue, they are offering for Europe, as well.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/05/09/sony_outlines_identity_theft_protection_for_european_users

1215.5.2011 14:28

Originally posted by DVDBack23:
Originally posted by xtago:
"Sony is offering all users 1 free year of identity theft protection and insurance, two free PS3 games, and a free month to PlayStation Plus."

That is wrong as the ID theft protection is only valid for US people.

If your outside the US it doesn't apply.

News sites should point this out.

This is untrue, they are offering for Europe, as well.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/05/09/sony_outlines_identity_theft_protection_for_european_users
Correct.

1315.5.2011 17:26

Originally posted by DVDBack23:
Originally posted by xtago:
"Sony is offering all users 1 free year of identity theft protection and insurance, two free PS3 games, and a free month to PlayStation Plus."

That is wrong as the ID theft protection is only valid for US people.

If your outside the US it doesn't apply.

News sites should point this out.

This is untrue, they are offering for Europe, as well.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2011/05/09/sony_outlines_identity_theft_protection_for_european_users
It's easier for the haters to lie than to bother to know what they're talking about.

1415.5.2011 17:30

Originally posted by xnonsuchx:
It's easier for the haters to lie than to bother to know what they're talking about.
Thus the propagation of misinformation touted as fact...

1515.5.2011 19:14

Originally posted by Oner:
Originally posted by xnonsuchx:
It's easier for the haters to lie than to bother to know what they're talking about.
Thus the propagation of misinformation touted as fact...
That being said, I have not heard the plans for Asia/Australia...but rest assured being a Japanese company, Asian residents will get equal if not better ID protection + insurance as American and EU counterparts.

1617.5.2011 12:35

who cares about sony, that are a fail of a troll game developer. but good news is xbox live has never been breached and even tho it is Microsoft i thinkt he community has more faith in Microsoft then Sony and now it has been confirmed with all the new xbox live users.

1720.5.2011 21:03

Originally posted by Zealousi:
who cares about sony, that are a fail of a troll game developer. but good news is xbox live has never been breached...
You better Google that before you lay claim to it. And why bother coming in a Sony thread to promote xbox? Stick to your own fanboy threads.

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