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Sony restores PlayStation Network parts

Kill each other again

What you need to know about cloud backup

Sony reinstated several features of the PlayStation Network yesterday in a phased return of service throughout Europe and North America.

Tweeters and Facebook fiends were in full swing last night, with gamers rejoicing like they'd just killed Osama Bin Laden.

The return comes almost an entire month since the service was first taken down following Sony's discovery of a major hack which saw customers' personal details stolen - and Sony lambasted for security failures.

In the video below, CEO Kaz Hirai outlines the restoration process and issues another apology to those affected:

To fix the problem, users must first download a mandatory update - PS3 firmware 3.61 - which lets users into the PSN to change their password. This has to be done from the PS3 console the account was initially activated on, although it is possible to use email activation instead.

Once this is done, users can reconnect and enjoy most PSN features, including PS3/ PSP gaming, PlayStation Home and subscription services such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer and LoveFilm.

While many users are still complaining of connection issues, Sony says the system is struggling with heavy traffic due to so many password resets, and assures regular service will resume soon.

The return should quash frustrations of many PS3 gamers, so desperate to play Call of Duty that several exchanged their PS3 consoles for an Xbox 360. With the service back up, Sony can now work on rebuilding customer trust, if possible. ®

Cloud based data management

Lets answer your questions...

1) It happened in the first place due to poor security and a professional dedicated hack. So yes Fail icon here is relevant.

2) Its taken a while to restore because Sony have taken the effort to try to ensure this doesnt happen again. Yes this is closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, but you seem upset that they've "wasted" time repairing the system when you could have instead been playing games. That is an incredibly childish point of view.

3) Why do you need a software update? Why do you think? To prevent the same security breach happening again. If someone steals your keys and breaks into your house, youve got no one to blame but yourself if you dont change the locks and they break in again! So you being upset you have to download a software update to make your system safer is doubly childish!

4) Why is the password server down? Well that was explained in the article if you had manage to control your short attention span long enough to make it to the bottom of the article. It is down due to the high demand associated with lots of people (70+million accounts worth) trying to change their passwords.

Get a life, its a computer game network. Its down whilst its being fixed. It will be back soon. Deal with it!

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Blame...etc.

I'll probably get down-voted to Hades for this, but what the hell!

As much as you love or hate Sony they were still a victim of crime. It's true that they could/should have taken more definite measures to safeguard personal info, but the REAL crime is that of hacking with the sole intention of causing disruption and/or theft of personal data for nefarious means. The fact that it was Sony is neither here nor there, and the fact that they managed to keep personal info in a fugging unencrypted format was nothing but a bonus for the hackers - I bet there are smaller, lower-profile businesses who do this as well.

I'll hang on a couple of days and then re-register after the rush has died down. Personally, I'm glad they're back and I'm glad they're trying to do it properly.

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Anonymous Coward

Someone please turn it off

(or take it out), until my son has finished his exams.

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