Sony offers freebies after hack attack
SONY shares edged up yesterday after it offered customers free access to its online network to compensate for hackers stealing the personal details of up to 78m gamers.
The network faces an uphill struggle to win around millions of disillusioned members of its PlayStation Network after a security breach potentially gave hackers access to members’ credit card details and addresses.
Gamers were furious when it emerged Sony’s first warning came a week after it detected a problem with the network on 19 April.
Sony apologised and said it would gradually restart the PlayStation Network with increased security.
Free content will include 30 days membership to its premium service for existing users and credit card-renewal fees in some regions. However, it said compensation would only be paid if users suffered damage.
Analysts warn restoring customer faith will take time, a factor that could be a major a blow to the consumer electronics giant, which has touted online services as a way of leveraging its strengths in both hardware and content.