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Sony has finally started restoring PSN service after its closure following the hacker attack. The company promised that in a few hours PlayStation Network service would be available everywhere.
24 days have passed before the company finally started resuming the network service: it was on April 20th that the network was taken offline following the news that hackers had breached the security of the network. A bit later Sony revealed that more than 70 million accounts have probably been compromised, which caused several class-action lawsuits filed because of the company’s failure to protect customer personal information.
Despite the fact that the company announced in the beginning of the month that a “phased rollout by region” of the PlayStation Network services would start in the near future, it never came true. Later, Sony gave another firm deadline for a full resuming of the PSN – the end of May.
Anyway, the company has announced late last week that a restoration of PSN service had begun. Although the process was limited to California and much of the Northeast region of the country at the time, Sony promised that in a mere few hours it would be available all over the US.
First of all, the users of the networks will have to install a new PlayStation 3 system software update. This update will require all users to change their password at once. The company explained that when using PlayStation 3, the users can only change their passwords on either their own device, or a device on which their accounts were activated. This is considered to be an added layer of security. In case the user has never downloaded any content through their account on the system, they will receive an email to the registered sign-in ID associated with their account at the moment they first try to sign-in to the network. There will be a link in the letter, enabling users to change their passwords. All they have to do is click on it and follow the instructions. After the password is changed, they will be allowed to sign-in to their accounts with new password.
The company reminded that it would also offer a “Welcome Back” program in order to compensate the rift caused by the downtime. The program in question includes free entertainment and service offerings, combined with a month of free PlayStation Plus premium service offered to all existing PSN customers. In addition, the company would provide a year’s worth of identity theft protection.
24 days have passed before the company finally started resuming the network service: it was on April 20th that the network was taken offline following the news that hackers had breached the security of the network. A bit later Sony revealed that more than 70 million accounts have probably been compromised, which caused several class-action lawsuits filed because of the company’s failure to protect customer personal information.
Despite the fact that the company announced in the beginning of the month that a “phased rollout by region” of the PlayStation Network services would start in the near future, it never came true. Later, Sony gave another firm deadline for a full resuming of the PSN – the end of May.
Anyway, the company has announced late last week that a restoration of PSN service had begun. Although the process was limited to California and much of the Northeast region of the country at the time, Sony promised that in a mere few hours it would be available all over the US.
First of all, the users of the networks will have to install a new PlayStation 3 system software update. This update will require all users to change their password at once. The company explained that when using PlayStation 3, the users can only change their passwords on either their own device, or a device on which their accounts were activated. This is considered to be an added layer of security. In case the user has never downloaded any content through their account on the system, they will receive an email to the registered sign-in ID associated with their account at the moment they first try to sign-in to the network. There will be a link in the letter, enabling users to change their passwords. All they have to do is click on it and follow the instructions. After the password is changed, they will be allowed to sign-in to their accounts with new password.
The company reminded that it would also offer a “Welcome Back” program in order to compensate the rift caused by the downtime. The program in question includes free entertainment and service offerings, combined with a month of free PlayStation Plus premium service offered to all existing PSN customers. In addition, the company would provide a year’s worth of identity theft protection.
