Japanese still locked out of PlayStation Network

Sony has restored its PlayStation network in most of the world following a high profile hack last month, but gamers in its native Japan remain locked out of the system. The government is blocking a relaunch until Sony satisfies regulators that it has had applied improved security controls. Gamers enthusiast and security …

[Thomas 4]

Smart move by Japan

Why is it that only the Japanese government is willing to annoy Sony in this way whereas Sony Europe is willing to just shove its services back up with a promise that (for all we know) could be so much smoke and mirrors?

[Anonymous Coward]

Errm

If you move aside all the FUD that sites like this and others have been spreading of late, and look at the facts, Sony were already doing pretty much what everyone else is doing anyway.

They had firewalls in place

They encrypted creditcard details

They hashes passwords

They used SSL connections.

They kept their servers patched.

Obviously everything is hackable given enough resources. Sony have increased levels of protection above those listed since the attacks. To me that is all they could have done, and since the attack all they should have done.

The real idiot in all of this of course are the press, who have shown nothing but scaremongering stories, lack of basic technical knowledge and lack of responsible reporting.

[Rob Beard]

Up to date servers?

From what I've read on sites like MaxConsole.net the Sony servers were using old version of Linux which hasn't been patched in years.

As far as the free games go, I believe they consist of Little Big Planet, Imfamous, Wipeout HD + Fury and a couple of others that I forget (again MaxConsole.net has articles about what the European and US offerings are going to be on the PS3 and PSP).

Rob

[Anonymous Coward]

@Rob Beard

The out of date server "news" was based on some IRC chatter, nothing more. Unfortunately irresponsible "news" sites like this and many others, desperate for anything PSN related just passed it on without worrying about factual accuracy.

http://bitmob.com/articles/detective-work-reveals-psn-servers-up-to-date

"It's sad to say, but many are so eager to see Sony's eye blackened that they are willing to believe any rumor that puts the PlayStation in a negative light. We are in a backwards world where everything Sony says is assumed to be a lie or conspiracy, and anonymous IRC chat logs of dubious origins have miraculously become the most trusted news source in the industry. Here we have a concrete example of why it's important to actually verify your source before repeating something as fact."

[Elmer Phud]

Damn right

Still nothing from Sony about the break in - they may have run out of people to blame.

But don't let the lack of reassurances stop folks from clamouring to get back on and put more personal info on the servers. Sony get thier money and the junies get thier fix, just don't ask about the dealer and don't check to see if the needles are dirty.

Gamers, worse than drug addicts -- discuss.

'IT?' icon as it's all about greed

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Elmer Phud

Out of touch Phuddy duddies far too easily swayed by anti gamer hype and scaremongering. -- Discuss

[Anonymous Coward]

welcome pack???

I've not seen my welcome pack yet, has anyony else? Also I thought there was a choice of 5 (really old) titles. Is there any confirmation on the welcome pack from Sony?

I think the games I've seen offered in the welcome packs are rubbish, but 30 days playstation plus could be good provided there is content on offer.

I'll reserve full judgement until there is written confirmation in the T and C on my tele screen in the PS store.

[Frostbite]

Welcome Back

The Welcome back package will be available when the Playstation online Store re-opens.

This is what was reported on their official blog.

[Anonymous Coward]

30 days playstation plus?

I wonder if you have to give CC details to get it?

[Carol Orlowski]

2 games from a list of 5

All 75% - 95% Metacritic scored...

+30 days PS+ (or 60 days for existing members)

+Movie Weekend Rentals (TBC)

better than the 1 crappy game that Microsoft offered me after their 15-day Xmas Xbox Live outage (that people seem to have conveniently forgotten about).

[Jamie Kitson]

Oh the humanity!

First the earthquake and now THIS?!

[ppsg69]

Still no security

The Japanese were right not to trust. Sony have put the service back up with a password reset service that only requires the user's email address and date of birth before giving you a new password on screen. Of course the hackers already have the email addresses and dob's for 100 million users....

[Swallowtail]

Grrr....

I find their compensation package of games I don't own, nor do I even give a fuck about insulting...

[miknik]

then you will be over the moon

when you read the small print to find out your "free" games will only work for 30 days before being nuked

[The Morgan Doctrine]

Hey, we're ALL locked out of PSN

Taman Shud.