Sony loses the personal data of 70 million users making it the biggest ever
In perhaps the largest breach of private information ever, the personal data of 70 million PlayStation Network and Qriocity users has been compromised.
Sony confirmed the data breach for the first time in a statement yesterday. Its online gaming and entertainment services have been down since April 20 after what Sony has labeled an "external intrusion."
In a statement e-mailed to PSN and Qriocity users yesterday afternoon, Sony announced "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."
That user account information includes names, mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, birthdays and passwords and login names. It might also include purchase histories, billing addresses and password security answers.
Sony is unsure if credit card numbers were also stolen, but it warns users that both the numbers and expiration dates might have been obtained, and urges users who entered their credit card information into the services to monitor their accounts and credit reports.
Previously, a 2005-2006 debacle involving Framingham-based the TJX Cos., which compromised 45.6 million customers' credit and debit card numbers, had been the world’s biggest known data breach.