PSN Network

    The PSN network has been down for about eight days now and causing a large amount of hysterical from customers. The biggest issue being leaked user information that could be as much as 70 million people. This causing people to wonder weither their identity has been stolen or credit card information. Sony is also being sued. The suit was filed by the Rothken Law Firm, representing Alabama resident Kristopher Johns, accusing Sony of failure to maintain computer data security of consumer personal data and financial data and failing to take proper care to encrypt, protect, and safeguard the personal information of its users. Sony is continuing to face this battle on all fronts but what is interesting to me is the actual event in question. Someone was able to hack a massive network owned by Sony, and steal a load of information that is causing financial and emotional distress to a lot of people.

    Personally I never expected something like to happen. In the gaming world we have many different places were we put out sensitive information to partcipate in various networks and ip's. We all take that risk wither we decide to place that information in Steam, Xbox Live, or World of Warcraft. The PSN network is currently showing right now that the risk of having your information stolen, while resisting phishing attempts, is real and it can happen at any time. The way I see it is a dilemma that is not only going to effect how people look at the PSN network but all online services. If someone decides to join Xbox live or play World of Warcraft they can see this event and question weither their information will be truly protected from hackers, despite what counter-measures companies claim to have aganist such threats. 

    I'm not denouncing online services. I still and will continue to joy the world of online gaming. What I am arguing that this issue will expand and effect the decision of people of weither they choose to join the online community in whatever system or game now and in the future.