Playstation Network accounts hacked

Foster City (CA) - Sony has issued a statement warning Playstation 3 users that a "small percentage" of online accounts may have been compromised due to an attack on the database that allowed a hacker to change user passwords.

Sony said it is directly contacting individual users who are believed to have been affected. According to the statement, immediate measures were taken to fix the vulnerability manipulated by the hacker.

"We have investigated the extent of unauthorized access and possible alteration of passwords that could have occurred before corrective measures were taken, and are directly contacting customers who may have been affected by this incident," said Sony.

Even with the confirmed attack on the PS3 online platform, Sony says it is "unlikely" that anyone’s account was actually compromised. Even if it was, though, there is little harm that someone could do.

The full credit card information on the account is never displayed, and users can only purchase downloads on the Playstation Store for their own account. However, personal information including street address and age is accessible.

The company says users should log on to their PS3 online accounts, and if the password has been unaltered then the account was not breached.