Sony: Most Of The PSN Accounts Compromised Were Dormant

Tweet

Yesterday, news broke of a new attack on Sony’s networks, with Sony saying that 93,000 PlayStation Network and Sony Online Entertainment accounts had been compromised. That’s a relatively small number when you consider that there’s tens of millions of PSN and SOE accounts out there, but that’s still 93,000 people who had their accounts hijacked.

Originally, Sony gave us a reason to breathe easy by saying that the information didn’t come from Sony’s servers, but likely from lists stolen from other services. Hackers had these lists in their possession and tried to log into the PlayStation Network with the username and password information they had stolen from other websites.

Now Sony’s giving PSN users another reason to breathe easy, with SOE President John Smedley telling Gamespot that a number of the accounts that were compromised yesterday were dormant – many of the people that had their information compromised yesterday hadn’t logged in since before the original PSN attacks last spring.

So, essentially, if Sony is correct in their assertion that the stolen login info didn’t come from them, then those who had their accounts compromised don’t have anyone to blame but themselves. Rule number one of maintaining multiple online identities is that you never use the same passwords for your separate accounts. Sony made it clear from the moment that PSN came back online in May that users should change their passwords immediately, and those who didn’t listen are the ones going through this mess now.

Of course, if your account wasn’t compromised yesterday, it’s still probably a good idea to change your password. It’s clear now that Sony’s troubles with hackers and general deviants aren’t through yet, and as the old saying goes “better to be safe than sorry.”

Did anyone out there have their account compromised yesterday? Do you know anyone that did? Head down to the comments section below and tell us what you think of this latest attack on PSN and SOE!