Information and Privacy Commissioner Frank Work is offering some advice to users of Sony PlayStation in light of a breach of the security systems surrounding the PlayStation Network. Sony says account information of 77 million users, including 36 million in North America had been compromised by a possible hacker.
Work says he won’t open an investigation file into the incident, but he is offering words of advice. “Users of the system should be suspicious of possible email scams. Because passwords and user names were also compromised, it is possible that hackers could break into other online accounts you may have. My advice right now is that PlayStation users change all their passwords.” The Commissioner adds that it is possible that credit card information could also be involved in the breach. “Even though Sony says credit card numbers were encrypted, if you are worried about credit card issues because of this breach, cancel your card and get a new one.”
The Commissioner says users purchasing history on PlayStation might be used to lure people into phishing scams and you should be suspicious of emails you might be getting asking you to buy something. Work also cautions that Sony won’t be sending emails to users of the system, so if you get an email purported to be from Sony, delete it immediately.