Console manufacturing giant Nintendo today announced that it had been targeted by a group of hackers known as Lulz Security. The hacking group also claimed responsibility for the much publicised data breach that hit Sony back in April.
Whilst the attempted hack is not good for Nintendo, it appears that no data has been breached. The server targeted was one of the Japanese firms affiliates based in the US. However the server had no customer data or confidential company information stored on it. So it appears Nintendo hasn’t suffered anywhere near the same level of loss as Sony, which reportedly lost data relating to up to 77 million of its users of the Sony Gaming Network.
A spokesman for the company Ken Toyoda confirms “There were no third party victims, but it is a fact, there was some kind of possible hacking attack”. To further ease any concerns the public may have Nintendo America have followed this with “The server contained no consumer information. The protection of our customer information is our utmost priority. We constantly monitor our security”.
On Sunday Lulz Security Twitter feed claimed responsibility for the attack, with one post reading: “We just got a config file and made it clear that we didn’t mean any harm. Nintendo had already fixed it anyway. <3 them! We love Nintendo and Sega, if anything we'd hack *for* them”
All Major console developers are currently attending the E3 Expo in Los Angeles, with announcements due for the next generation of console expected.
Tag Archives: Sony
Sony Hack
Sony has undergone a second hack just two weeks after the initial attack took place, meaning another 25million accounts may have been compromised on top of the original 77million. This second wave of attacks comes just days after the top Sony directors made a traditional Japanese apology in a board meeting.
“We deeply apologise for the inconvenience we have caused,” said Kazup Hirai (one of the executives which took a bow at the company’s headquarters in Tokyo).
The Sony Online Entertainment Network allows people to play multiplayer games with their peers or strangers across the Internet. The facility allows users to also download films as well as upgrades to games.
Among data stolen from Sony’s servers were names, addresses, emails, birth dates, phone numbers in addition to other information. Furthermore data was taken from an out-dated 2007 database.
24,000 financial records belonging to people from outside the U.S. have been taken. This includes bank details of customers in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. However Sony claim that there is no evidence that the information stolen has been used for illegal gain.
Mr Hirai is claiming that parts of the service would be back this week and that Sony has plans to significantly beef up security measures. However this doesn’t change the fact that some 3 million Britons using the Sony system have been caught up in the largest criminal cyber attack on record.
Sony admits to huge potential data theft
Users of the Sony online gaming network could have had their personal information stolen, following on from last week’s online attack. The hack which occurred on the 20th April has left the network offline since, which has angered many of its users. This admission by Sony will heighten the concern of its members, by what already has been termed “a PR Disaster” by one technology consultant.
Only today has Sony admitted that its users may have had their personal information stolen following the hack. This is no small amount of data either given the number of users registered on the network is over 70 million worldwide.
Posting on the Sony websites blog, Nick Caplin, head of communications at Sony, states “that between April 17 and April 19 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network”.
Sony believes that user information including Names, Addresses, email accounts, Dates of Birth and user log in details have all been compromised, which has lead Sony to warn its users to be aware of email, postal and telephone scams. Additionally if users have used their credit card through the network – for example users can purchase games online – this may have also been obtained.
One senior technology consultant, Graham Cluely who works for Sophos, believes hackers could very well start using the information gleaned from the hack to attempt log ins at other sites as well as into personal email accounts. He says “The impact of this could be much greater than your typical internet hack.”
Users posting on blogs largely have been disgusted by Sony handling of the matter and why it has taken them almost a week to inform its members that a data breach has happened. Sony hasn’t indicated when the service will be available again and still remains offline.
